A hearing was held in the Supreme Court on Monday in the case of keeping the middle seat of the aircraft vacant in international flights. The apex court said that the middle seat in air India flights launched to bring back Indians stranded abroad must be vacated. The Supreme Court has allowed booking of seats between planes for the next ten days. The court asked the Central government and Air India not to allow travel to the middle seat in international flights thereafter. The apex court expressed displeasure over the Centre and Air India, saying they should worry about the people. The circular of not keeping the middle seat vacant is disturbing. This order is for non-notified international air services. The Government of India is bringing back Indian nationals stranded in other countries under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’. Under the first phase, more than 2,000 people have been brought from the UK.
The Supreme Court has said that only mid-seats will be allowed till June 6. The court has asked the Bombay High Court to arrive at a conclusion on unnotified or notified flights at first glance of the High Court in view of the health of passengers due to corona. The Apex court again referred the matter to the Bombay High Court and asked all parties to take a decision on the issue of public interest in the matter at the earliest to see what steps should be taken to prevent the spread of the virus at first glance. The apex court said dgca and Air India can make appropriate changes in the rules pending the petition.
On opposing the centre, the court said that the court is worrying about the health of the people, why is the government objecting? CJI S A. Bobdey said the government should worry about citizens and not the airline. It is dangerous to travel shoulder to shoulder. The virus does not know if it is on the plane and should not spread. When there is a rule of social distance of 6 feet outside, why not inside the aircraft.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the Centre and Air India, told the court that the circular was pre-lockdown and was only for domestic flights. The expert committee has reported that there is no need to keep the middle seat vacant in international flights. Because the air is circular in the aircraft. Testing and quarantine is the only right step. It has a seven-day institutional quarantine and a seven-day home quarantine rule. He said families stranded abroad are disturbed and worried. The government does not have so many aircraft. Bookings have been made in the middle seats till June 16.
A bench comprising Supreme Court Chief Justice S A Bobadi, Justice A S Bopanna and Justice Hrishikesh Roy heard the same. Despite the Eid holiday, a special hearing was held in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court heard the centre and Air India’s plea. In fact, the petition was filed against an order by the Bombay High Court asking it to keep the middle seat vacant during international flights under the Vande India Mission due to the Korana virus.
The Bombay High Court had directed Air India to keep the middle seats vacant in international flights. In addition, the High Court had also asked Air India to follow the ‘social distance’ circulation of Director of General Civil Aviation, which required the middle seats to be kept vacant on international flights.
