Aviation body issues guidelines for deplaning passengers during tarmac delays

Zulfiquar Hasan, Director General of BCAS, said that they have prepared the guidelines and issued to airport operators and airlines.

"In case of delays (no specific time limit of delay) the call will be taken by airport security or airlines to deplane passengers and bring them to boarding area again," he said.

"Usually there are delays due to weather conditions, medical emergency or technical issues. Going to the situation, the call will be taken by the concerned authority. Passengers will be brought back to the boarding area and will be boarded again when plane is clear for take-off and incase of technical issue, if plane has to be swapped then luggage of passengers will also be shifted to new aircraft.

He further said that the aviation body has issued the guidelines and instructed airports to prepare infrastructure regarding it to meet up such situation.

Last December and January 2024, many airports including Delhi Airport witnessed delays of more than 500 flights due to fog. In many cases, airlines had to deboard passengers during prolonged delays.

On January 14, a passenger on-board the IndiGo flight assaulted the co-pilot due to 13-hour long delay.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS) observed its 38th Raising Day on Monday. The event was organised in Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, and was attended by Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Home Secretary of India, Tapan Kumar Deka, Director of Intelligence Bureau of India, and Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Reorganised into an independent department on April 1, 1987 under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, BCAS is the regulatory authority for civil aviation security in India. It is headed by an officer of the rank of Director General of Police and is designated as Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security who is the appropriate authority for the implementation of Annexure-17 to the Chicago convention of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The Director General of, Bureau of Civil Aviation is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP). (ANI)