Attention Travellers! No food service to be provided on domestic flight from today; Here's the list of new rules

Earlier this week, as part of precautions against the spread of the virus, the Civil Aviation Ministry announced fresh guidelines due to the increasing threat of COVID-19 and its variants. According to the latest regulations, food and beverage will not be served on domestic flights which are less than two hours.

The Ministry issued an office memorandum prescribing new norms is effective from today, April 15.

However, the airlines, operating flights on domestic sectors, may provide meals services on board, "where the in-flight duration is two hours or more," the ministry had said.

“The Ministry of Civil Aviation, considering the increasing the threat of coronavirus and its variants, have decided to review onboard meal services in the domestic flight of operations,” it said.

Accordingly, provision has been amended for an in-flight meal. Last year, the Ministry allowed airlines to provide meals but with certain conditions. Now, it has been said “Airlines may serve pre-packed snacks/meals/pre-packed beverages as per the policy of the airlines, where-in the flight duration is two hours or more,” subject to some conditions.

Here are the new rules by the Ministry:

• Airlines are permitted to serve only pre-packed snacks, meals and pre-packed beverages on flights that have a duration of more than two hours.
• 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.
• In all classes, tea, coffee, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage services will be in disposable cans containers, bottles, or glasses. There will be no pouring service and beverages will be served in single-use disposable units.
• The servicing of in-flight meals must be staggered among the adjacent seats as far as possible.
• The passengers would be informed of the practices for strict compliance before the start of catering services by way of passenger announcements.