Published 23:02 IST, May 24th 2020
Centre, Air India move SC against Bombay HC order to keep middle seats vacant in flights
Centre, Air India have approached Supreme Court in an urgent plea against the Bombay HC's order challenging the decision to not keep middle seats vacant
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The Central government and state-run carrier Air India have approached the Supreme Court in an urgent plea against the Bombay High Court's order challenging the decision to not keep middle seats vacant in flights scheduled to fly from Monday. The plea is set to be heard on an urgent basis by the apex court on Monday itself.
Earlier in the day, the High Court directed Air India to keep middle seats vacant on international flights. Moreover, the HC asked Air India to comply with the Director of General Civil Aviation’s “social distancing” circulation, which required middle seats to be kept vacant on international flights.
An HC bench of Justice RD Dhanuka and Justice Abhay Ahuja hearing to the matter through video conference also said that the latest circular does not spell out that it covers international flights. Also, not the case of Air India and Air India Express that the May 22 circular applies to international operations or to non-scheduled flights.
HC directed on the petition filed by Air India pilot Deven Kanani, who challenged the national airline’s initial decision not to keep a seat between two passengers vacant for emergency flights that were arranged to bring back stranded Indians from abroad through the Centre’s Vande Bharat Mission, and stated that it was in violation of the March 23 circular issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Also, HC heard the matter on Friday when Air India said that the March 23 circular was replaced with another on May 22. Air India lawyer Abhinav Chandrachud said the May 22 circular issued as part of resuming domestic flights in a phased manner from May 25 has done away with the clause.
Updated 23:02 IST, May 24th 2020