Air India can assign middle seats on rescue flights - By: Vaishnavi Singh

On 23rd of March Bombay High Court had questioned the Air India services that, will the corona virus won’t affect the living beings if they travel on a flight, or the flight won’t let the corona virus enter.

Saying this Bombay High court passed the interim order and asked Air India to keep the middles seats of all the planes vacant in a rescue plane so that there’s a distance between the passengers.

However on this Eid, Chief justice of India S A Bobde and Justice A S Bopana and Hrishikesh joy took up the appeals against the interim order through video conferencing and remanded the Bombay high court with a request to pass an order in which the middle seats can be occupied by the passengers till 2nd of June.

The Supreme court had clearly said that this change is for the rescue flights only and not the commercial flights and after 6th of June the previous order of Bombay high court will take place.*

“We are of the considered view that the petitioner- Air India should be allowed to operate the non scheduled flights with the middle seats booking upto June 6, 2020. However, after that the air india will operate flights in accordance with the interim orderto be passed by the Bombay High court.”

The change came when the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta went to the court and told them how the passengers are getting worried and going through the anxiety because of the sudden order from the Bombay high court. He also mentioned how the people are going through the difficulties of shelter and money and how people are worried their families would get separated while travelling.

The court therefore remanded the High Court for the interim order and also requested to ensure the health safety of the passengers while travelling and strictly check if the flight is scheduled or unscheduled.

However the Director General of Civil Aviation is allowed to make any necessary changes in the norm to ensure the safety of passengers from COVID-19.