Cash-strapped ones aren't printing the declaration form that passengers are supposed to fill before disembarking
Cash-strapped ones aren't printing the declaration form that passengers are supposed to fill before disembarking
It seems lack of cash is making airlines lax in their measures to combat the spread of swine flu.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has found that several airlines are not printing and distributing declaration forms to passengers, despite the regulatory body having issued a circular to do so way back in April.
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Take Care: A nurse demonstrates the use of HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) mask used as a preventive measure against swine flu. So far, 63 people in India are affected by the H1N1 virus. |
Airlines that are already incurring heavy losses and looking to cut costs are reluctant to incur the cost of printing these forms.
The DGCA has now issued a new circular warning the airlines to take the swine flu outbreak more seriously.
The circularK P Maggon, director, regulations and information, DGCA, has stated in the warning circular, "It has come to our notice that some airlines are not distributing the requisite pro forma to passengers on board before disembarking."
Industry analysts said most major airlines were found to have faltered and not complied with the DGCA directive.
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"Apart from issuing the forms to passengers, airlines are also supposed to ask their crew to make announcements about filling up the forms on board and avoid congestion at the airport later," the circular reads.
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Maggon has also asked all the airlines to submit a compliance report on the matter.
Following the swine flu outbreak, the DGCA had issued a circular on April 29 asking all airlines to print the requisite Health Screening Card and distribute it to their passengers.
Passengers have to compulsorily fill in the form and give the necessary information regarding their visits to countries in the past 10 days and their general health.
The losses
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airlines worldwide are expected to make losses to the tune of USD 9 billion due to the economic slowdown.
IATA statistics state that 50 major airlines worldwide have reported losses of more than USD3 billion already this year.
Flighty measuresAirlines have been carrying out regular deep-clean fumigation on board flights flown to and from high-risk countries to flush out any strains of the virus.
The process takes place approximately 30-40 minutes prior to the departure of the next flight. "Common touch points that are disinfected, as an additional preventive swine influenza measure, are the passenger seat pocket, aircraft interior, passenger seat, galley and lavatory on board the aircraft," said an Air India operations official at Newark airport, US.
