Amid controversy over media frenzy on Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut's flight from Chandigarh to Mumbai on Wednesday, aviation regulator - the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGCA - has warned the airlines with a suspension of a flight for two weeks if anyone is found taking photographs in an aircraft against the government-mandated rules. The airlines have been told to act against violators or face action.
The aviation regulator, in a statement today, reminded the airlines that "no person shall take any photograph except in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions of a permission in writing granted by the Director General, a Joint Director General, a Deputy Director-General or the Director of Regulations and Information of the Civil Aviation Department." The permission, however, is "not applicable when such aircraft is landing, taking off or on ground at a defence aerodrome", it said.
Stressing that the airlines often fail to follow these rules, "primarily because of lack of diligence", the regulator gave a tough warning to the flight operators. "It has been decided that from now on, in case any such violation occurs, the schedule of flight for that particular route shall be suspended for a period of two weeks from the next day." The flight operation shall be restored "only after the airline has taken all the necessary punitive action against those responsible for the violation."
"Such deviations result in compromise in maintaining the highest standards of safety," the DGCA underlined in the statement.
A report has been sought from IndiGo over alleged "violation of safety and social distancing protocol by media personnel on flight 6E-264" after the DGCA spotted the media frenzy on videos, sources said.
In videos that emerged online, reporters are seen violating government-mandated Covid protocols, speaking into their mics or taking mobile phone videos while reporting for their channels from the plane in the middle of a wild chase of actor Kangana Ranaut.
The 33-year-old actor was returning to Mumbai that day in the middle of a huge row with Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena.
IndiGo, India's largest private airline, said its own crew followed all protocol on that flight. "We would like to reiterate that our cabin crew, as well as the captain followed all the requisite protocols, including announcements to restrict photography, follow social distancing and maintain overall safety. IndiGo also followed the requisite protocol of documenting this matter in its post-flight report. We are committed to providing a safe, hassle-free experience to our passengers," the domestic carrier said.
Aviation Regulator DGCA Eases Norms For Seaplane Operations Across India Airlines, Airports Told To Increase Women Staff To 25% Of Workforce Aviation Watchdog Revises Regulations To Boost Seaplane Operations 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing "Attempt To Save Accused Instead Of...": Rahul Gandhi On Doctor Rape-Murder G20 Nations Couldn't Do, India Did, Met Paris Accord Target Before Time: PM "Targeted Violence Against Hindus...": Vivek Ramaswamy On Bangladesh Unrest Probe Reveals Brazil Plane Crashed One Minute After Pilots Sensed Trouble Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.