Airlines may serve pre-packed snacks/meals/pre-packed beverages as per the policy, wherein the flight duration is two hours or more.
The ministry of civil aviation on Monday announced that no meal will be served on flights with a duration of 120 minutes to minimise the risk of COVID-19 infections. The ban will come into effect from Thursday, the ministry said in its order.
As per the amended existing standard operating procedure (SOP) for onboard service in the domestic flight of operations, no meals can be served in the domestic sectors flights wherein the flight duration is less than two hours.
It further said that the airline may serve pre-packed snacks/meals/pre-packed beverages as per the policy of the airline, wherein the flight duration is two hours or more. The servicing of in-flight meals must be staggered "among the adjacent seats as far as possible", it added.
When scheduled domestic flights were resumed on May 25 after coronavirus lockdown last year, the ministry had allowed the airlines to serve in-flight meals under certain conditions.
Modifying the previous order, the ministry's fresh directive said: "The airlines, operating flights on domestic sectors, may provide meals services on board, where the in-flight duration is two hours or more."
However, it added that in all classes, tray set up, plate and cutlery which would be used, have to be completely disposable and no re-use or cleaned and disinfected rotatable can be used.
"Used disposable trays/crockeries/cutleries shall not be re-used. Used rotatable shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before re-use," the order read.
Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, special international passenger flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since last May and under bilateral air-bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries since July.
India has surpassed Brazil to record the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases at 1,35,27,717, as a record 1,68,912 new infections were reported on Monday.
(With agency inputs)
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