Amid longer flight durations triggered by Pakistan’s airspace closure, India’s aviation regulator, DGCA, on Saturday issued a detailed advisory directing airlines to upgrade passenger communication, in-flight catering, medical preparedness, and customer service.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said airlines must proactively inform passengers about revised routing, extended block times, and the possibility of technical stops at intermediate airports. The move follows Pakistan’s decision to bar Indian airlines from using its airspace after escalating tensions between the two countries in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

International and regional flights, especially those operating from Delhi and other northern cities, have been significantly rerouted, leading to longer journey times and potential unscheduled halts for operational or refuelling purposes, the regulator said.

In light of these developments, DGCA issued a circular titled Passenger Handling Measures in View of Airspace Restrictions Resulting in Extended Flight Durations and Technical Stops, outlining mandatory action points for all airline operators:

1. Pre-Flight Passenger Communication

Airlines must:

• Inform passengers about routing changes due to airspace restrictions.

• Communicate the revised total expected travel time (departure to arrival).

• Notify passengers of any potential technical stopovers and clarify that such stops are operational in nature, with passengers generally remaining onboard.

• Deliver this information proactively at check-in, boarding gates, and, where feasible, through SMS and email alerts.

2. In-Flight Catering and Comfort

Operators must:

• Revise catering uplift based on actual expected block time, including technical halts.

• Ensure provision of adequate meals, beverages, additional hydration, dry snacks, and any special meals per manifest requests.

3. Medical Preparedness and Alternate Aerodromes

Airlines are required to:

• Ensure sufficient medical kits and first-aid resources onboard for extended operations.

• Validate that alternate airports have emergency medical support and ground ambulance availability.

• Brief cabin crew on managing passenger fatigue, discomfort, or medical incidents during prolonged flights.

4. Customer Service and Support Readiness

Carriers must:

• Brief the call centre and reservations teams about possible delays and schedule disruptions.

• Establish processes for managing missed onward connections and providing assistance to affected passengers.

• Prepare compensatory action plans for delays exceeding threshold limits, as per CAR (Civil Aviation Requirements) provisions.

5. Intra-Departmental Coordination

Operators must ensure seamless coordination among:

• Flight Dispatch/IOCC,

• Commercial and Customer Support teams,

• Ground handling and airport operations,

• In-flight service providers,

• Medical vendors at designated alternate airports.

DGCA stressed that all operators are to treat this advisory as mandatory guidance in the interest of passenger safety, comfort, and regulatory compliance. Non-compliance or passenger inconvenience resulting from failure to implement these measures may attract enforcement action under applicable civil aviation regulations.

The circular comes into immediate effect and will remain valid until further notice.

Meanwhile, the airspace disruption has already forced airlines like IndiGo to announce significant changes. IndiGo stated that around 50 international flights will operate on longer routes, and flights to Almaty and Tashkent have been cancelled from April 27 to at least May 7 due to range limitations on current fleet aircraft.

(With PTI inputs)