Keeping a regular track of the decreased count of COVID-19 infections, it was declared by the government on November 16, 2022, that wearing a mask would be no longer mandatory during air travel. However, passengers should continue using them, as the infection has not completely abandoned the nation yet.
Wearing a mask is no longer compulsory during air travel
The civil aviation ministry announced on Wednesday, November 16, that although the compulsion of wearing a mask while travelling by air will be relaxed, passengers would be still preferably asked by the cabin crew to use face covers or masks before boarding. This shall be anyway maintained due to the existence of the infection and its after-effects at present.
The decision has been taken in line with the government’s classified approach to COVID-19 management
Until now, the use of face shields or masks or even both was compulsory during air travel. As per a report published by The Indian Express, the ministry stated that the current decision has been undertaken on the basis of the government’s policy of classified programs of efficiently managing the entire COVID-19 response.
The airlines will not impose any charges for not wearing a mask during air travel
According to a published report by The Indian Express, the communication between the government and the scheduled airlines stated- “ The in-flight announcements henceforth may only mention that in view of the threat posed by COVID-19, all passengers should preferably use mask/face covers.” It was further said that any particular quotation to penal action need not be declared as part of the in-flight declarations.
As per the official data shared by the same published report, the sum total of coronavirus cases in the nation was recorded only 0.02 per cent of the gross infections and the recovery rate boosted to 98.79 per cent. The government has additionally asked the airlines not to enforce any sort of fines on passengers for not wearing a mask during air travel.
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