DGCA: Flyers can take photos, videos in flights but can’t use recording gadgets leading to ‘chaos’

Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 13

Clarifying further on its Saturday order relating to in-flight photography, the aviation regulator DGCA on Sunday said passengers can take photos and videos inside aircraft but can’t use any recording equipment that “creates chaos, disrupts flight operations, violates safety norms or is banned by the crew members”.

On last Friday, the aviation regulator had asked IndiGo to take “appropriate action” after it found alleged violation of safety and social-distancing protocols by media persons in the airline’s Chandigarh-Mumbai flight that had actor Kangana Ranaut as a passenger.

The DGCA order today “clarified that a bona fide passenger travelling in an aircraft engaged in scheduled air transport services may do still and video photography from inside such an aircraft while in flight; take off and landing” as per its circular dated December 9, 2004.

“However, this permission does not include use of any recording equipment which imperils or compromises air safety; violates prevalent norms; creates chaos or disruption during operation of flight or expressly prohibited by crew,” the DGCA order said, adding that action may be “initiated against those persons found in violation of above guidelines”.

Today’s order is a clarification on top of the yesterday’s order which had said, “It has been decided that from now on, in case any violation (photography) occurs on any scheduled passenger aircraft – the schedule of flight for that particular route shall be suspended for a period of two weeks from the next day (of the incident).”

Yesterday’s order stated that as per Rule 13 of the Aircraft Rules 1937, no person is allowed to take any photographs inside a flight except when permission is granted by the DGCA or the Civil Aviation Ministry.

As per the DGCA rules, an airline can put an “unruly passenger” on its “no-fly list” for a certain period of time after an internal enquiry.