Omicron: Notices issued to Air India, Mahan Air for alleged violation of COVID guidelines

New Delhi: The New Delhi district administration has issued show-cause notices to Air India and a private airline from Iran for alleged violation of passenger boarding guidelines issued by the Centre following the emergence of the coronavirus variant Omicron, officials said on Saturday.

They said three passengers -- one each in Air India flights from Dubai and Amritsar and the third travelling in a Mahan Air flight from Tehran -- were allowed boarding without filing up their personal details.
No response was available from the two airliners to queries by PTI.

The Vasant Vihar subdivisional magistrate under New Delhi district has asked station managers of the airlines to respond to the show-cause notices within 24 hours.

Earlier, the New Delhi district authorities had issued a notice to American Airlines for alleged non-compliance with the guidelines for international arrivals.

According to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on November 30, airlines are directed to allow boarding to only those international passengers who have filled up their personal details on Air Suvidha portal and uploaded negative RT-PCR test report.

A passenger in Mahan Air flight from Tehran that landed at Delhi's IGI Airport on Friday evening was allowed boarding despite not filling up personal details form, stated the notice.

Similarly, two passengers from Air India's Dubai and Amritsar flights that landed here on Saturday early morning had not submitted their personal details.

The notices stated that not furnishing replies by the concerned airlines officials within 24 hours will be taken up seriously and it would be presumed that they have nothing to say in the matter.

Action as deemed fit shall be initiated as per relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005; Section 188 of IPC and other applicable laws, in case of non-compliance, it stated.

According to the Centre, the countries designated as "at-risk" are European countries, including the UK, and South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong and Israel.

Travellers from these "at-risk" countries are following additional measures on arrival in India from Tuesday midnight.

Under the new norms, RT-PCR tests are mandatory for passengers arriving from "at-risk" countries, and they will be allowed to leave the airport only after the results come. Also, two per cent of passengers arriving on all flights from other countries will be subjected to the test randomly.