New Delhi: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed all airline operators to implement passenger handling measures with immediate effect on April 26, 2025, to address disruptions from airspace closures, because of Pakistan’s restriction on Indian aircraft overflights following the Pahalgam incident.
The mandatory directive, issued to ensure passenger comfort, safety, and regulatory compliance, responds to rerouting of international and regional flights, increased block times, and potential technical halts for operational or fuel requirements.
Airlines must proactively inform passengers about changes in routing due to airspace restrictions, revised total expected travel time from departure to arrival, and the possibility of a technical stop at an intermediate airport. Passengers will be informed that the stop is operational and will generally remain onboard. This information requires communication at check-in, boarding gates, and through SMS or email alerts, where feasible. Catering uplift needs revision based on actual expected block time, including technical halts, to provide adequate meals, beverages, additional hydration, dry snacks, and special meals as per manifest requests.
Operators must ensure onboard medical kits and first-aid resources are sufficient for extended operations and validate that alternate or technical halt airports have emergency medical support and ground ambulance availability if required. Cabin crew will be briefed on managing passenger fatigue, discomfort, or medical incidents. Call centres and reservations teams need briefings on likely delays and schedule disruptions, with processes established for managing missed onward connections and delay-related assistance. Airlines will prepare for compensatory action in case of delays beyond thresholds as per the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).
Seamless coordination is required among flight dispatch, Integrated Operations Control Centre, commercial and customer support teams, ground handling, airport operations, inflight service providers, and medical vendors at designated alternates. Non-compliance or passenger inconvenience from failure to implement these measures may attract enforcement action under applicable CAR provisions. The directive remains in force until further notice.
The DGCA advisory attributes the measures to significant rerouting, increased block times compared to scheduled durations, and technical halts necessitated by airspace closures, including Pakistan’s ban post-Pahalgam. The restrictions have forced Indian carriers to use longer routes, increasing fuel needs and travel times, impacting passenger schedules and airline operations.
– global bihari bureau
