Airlines ordered to respond to inflight SOPs violations at NCOC forum

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has asked the representatives of the airlines to appear before the NCOC meeting on October 5 to submit explanation over inflight violations of COVID-19 SOPs, ARY NEWS reported on Friday.

According to details, the CAA have sought explanation from airlines over violating COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) during flights. A letter has been sent to administrations of the airlines over violation of the SOPs by air transport wing of the CAA.

The letter read that it has been observed that the cabin crew members during the flight have failed to implement upon the virus-related precautionary measures including use of face masks and maintaining social distance.

The letter also quoted some of the eye-witnesses who experienced the violations first hand besides also reminding the decisions taken at the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) level for implementing the precautionary measures to avoid spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

While reminding that the matter is taken up by the NCOC forum, it asked the airlines’ representatives to appear before the forum on October 05 to respond on the matter.

On September 18, the Civil Aviation Authority warned the airlines of strict action over reports of continuous violation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and issued a fresh travel advisory.

The aviation authority’s transport wing cited violation of the coronavirus SOPs by airlines despite strict implementation orders from the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) forum and issued a fresh travel advisory.

It said that the airlines would ensure the mandatory use of masks by passengers while entering the airport and during flights. “Every passenger will be provided with a mask at the check-in counter by the airlines,” the SOPs read adding that cabin crew would discourage any sort of gathering during boarding and offloading process.