Indian Government Issues New SOPs for Air Travel: Alcohol, Hot meal Allowed For International Flights

The government has revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for International flights as well as domestic ones operated by Air India, private airlines and charter companies. Airlines operating International flights can now serve hot meals and alcohol. Until now, packed food ,cold non-alcoholic beverage and water bottles were kept on seats to minimize crew-flyer interaction during the pandemic.

On domestic flights the passengers can be served pre-packed snacks, meals and hot beverages.
Back-of-seat inflight entertainment (IFE) screens have also been allowed to come to life with the condition that before boarding of passengers, each screen should be disinfected and cleaned thoroughly. Disposable or disinfected headphones can now be given to passengers, reports The Times of India.

“In all classes, tea/coffee/alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage service will be in disposable cans/containers/bottles/glasses. There will be no pouring service and beverages will be served in single use disposable units,” the revised SOP by aviation ministry joint secretary Usha Padhee says for international flights.

The amended SOP requires cabin crew to “wear a fresh set of gloves for every meal/beverage service”. While allowing meals, beverages and IFE, the stress is on hygiene and strict disinfection of each cutlery item and screen.
Instead of the earlier “no or minimum catering (pre-packed cold meals, snacks, depending on length of flight) and no tea/coffee,” airlines, private and charter aircraft operating international flights to and from India can now “serve hot meals and limited beverages”.

The earlier SOP required IFE to be switched off to minimise touch on aircraft surfaces. Now, IFE has been allowed subject to thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before boarding of passengers. “Each seat will have its own dedicated IFE to be used only by the passenger occupying the seat…. All passenger touchpoint will be carefully cleaned and disinfected after the flight,” it says.

On domestic flights the passengers can be served pre-packed snacks, meals and hot beverages.
Back-of-seat in flight entertainment (IFE) screens have also been allowed to come to life with the condition that before boarding of passengers, each screen should be disinfected and cleaned thoroughly. Disposable or disinfected headphones can now be given to passengers, reports The Times of India.

“In all classes, tea/coffee/alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage service will be in disposable cans/containers/bottles/glasses. There will be no pouring service and beverages will be served in single use disposable units,” the revised SOP by aviation ministry joint secretary Usha Padhee says for international flights.

The amended SOP requires cabin crew to “wear a fresh set of gloves for every meal/beverage service”. While allowing meals, beverages and IFE, the stress is on hygiene and strict disinfection of each cutlery item and screen.

Instead of the earlier “no or minimum catering (pre-packed cold meals, snacks, depending on length of flight) and no tea/coffee,” airlines, private and charter aircraft operating international flights to and from India can now “serve hot meals and limited beverages”.

The earlier SOP required IFE to be switched off to minimize touch on aircraft surfaces. Now, IFE has been allowed subject to thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before boarding of passengers. “Each seat will have its own dedicated IFE to be used only by the passenger occupying the seat…. All passenger touch point will be carefully cleaned and disinfected after the flight,” it says.