Airlines face suspension if passengers violate selfie regulations

NEW DELHI: Be wary the next time you take a selfie inside an aircraft or at aerodrome or decide to take picture-perfect snaps of the landscape below during landings and takeoffs as airline authorities could take punitive action against those responsible for the violation.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a fresh order under which airlines can face two-weeks suspension of scheduled flight operations on routes where such violations are reported and no action has been taken.

The flight operations will be be restored only after the airline has taken necessary punitive action against those responsible, the fresh DGCA order on the issue said.

Existing regulations forbid taking pictures from an aircraft in flight and at an aerodrome without a written permission from top officials in DGCA. Also, taking pictures at a defence aerodrome of when the flight is landing or taking off is completely forbidden.

DGCA has now tightened the regulations in wake of rising cases of violations that had increased the security risks in the airline operations. Also, cases of violations have also been reported from airline crew itself with family pictures in the cockpit.

"In spite of these regulations, it has been noted that at times, the airlines have failed to follow these stipulations primarily because of lack of diligence on their part. Needless to say such deviations results in compromise in maintaining the highest standards of safety and therefore, is not to be allowed," the DGCA said in its order circulated to all airlines, airport operators and AIrport Authority of India (AAI).