HC to airlines: Follow DGCA circular, allow passengers to occupy middle seat
MUMBAI: Bombay high court on Friday in an interim order, directed that Airlines including Air India shall “allow the passengers to occupy the middle-seat strictly in compliance with’’ the circular issue by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on May 31 as well as othr applicable guidelines. The DGCA had on May 31 permitted middle seats to be occupied, if load was high, but with additional protective gown for its occupant.
The HC bench of Justices SJ Kathawalla and SP Tavade had on Thursday sought clarification from an Expert Committee on whether Covid-19 virus could be transmitted on a “mere touch’’ of an infected person.
An expert committee in a one-page report submitted by Centre’s counsels Tushar Mehta and Anil Singh said mere touch of an infected person will not transmit the disease without fulfilling certain conditions first. It said droplets of an infected person’s clothes can transmit the infection only when they “reach the mouth, nose or eyes of the other person.’’
“This is the reason why it is recommended that a person should disinfect his hands regularly’’ said the panel which comprised doctors Balram Bhagwat, Randeep Guleria and Naresh Trehan.
