DGCA asks domestic flights to keep the middle seats empty or provide gown

As a mandatory compliance from June 3, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines operating in India to allot seats to the air passengers in such a manner that the middle seat is left unoccupied, provided that the seat capacity and load factor allow this arrangement. In case, the flight is packed to capacity, the passenger on the middle seat should be provided a gown to shield himself or herself besides a mask.

The notice was reportedly issued by a senior DGCA official.
According to the reports, the official from the DGCA told an online news portal, that the guidelines, however, allow members of the same family travelling together to sit together.
These directions will come into effect from June 3, the official added. It is possible that the new instructions from the DGCA might screw up the airlines’ efforts in returning to their normal operations after a hiatus of two months due to lockdown in India.
The domestic airlines in India have restarted their services from May 25, although in a calibrated way. COVID-19 hotspots, such as Mumbai and Delhi have also resumed their air services.

Meanwhile, international flight operations remain suspended in India. Only repatriation flight services are operational, which are bringing back Indians stranded in foreign countries back to their home nation.