Be careful the next time you want to play loud music on your phone or other device without using earphones while flying.
You could be classified an “unruly passenger” and made to face the music if your conduct causes “discomfort” to fellow travellers.
This follows from a reply given by the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, in the Lok Sabha on February 12, to a query by Matheshwaran V.S., DMK MP from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu.
The MP had asked for information on: (a) the action taken by the Government against passengers playing music inside passenger aircraft without using earphones; (b) whether the Government proposes to insert any penal provisions against passengers who play music without earphones inside aircraft and if so, the details thereof; (c) the details of guidelines, issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to airline operators regarding playing of music inside aircraft; and (d) whether bloggers or social media influencers are permitted to make video blogs inside aircraft and if so, the details thereof?
To queries (a) and (b), Mohol said, “DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), Section 3, Air Transport, Series M, Part VI, pertaining to the Handling of Unruly Passengers under the provisions of Rule 22, Rule 23 and Rule 29 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.”
It added, “as per the said CAR, any unlawful or disruptive behavior on board an aircraft that interferes with the performance of duties of crew members, jeopardizes the safety of the aircraft, persons or property on board, affects good order and discipline, or causes discomfort to other passengers and crew members, may invite penal action.”
On query (c), the response said, “it is an operational practice of airlines, equipped with In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) systems, to play soft instrumental music during boarding and disembarkation and other pre-loaded entertainment content to passengers during flight.
To query (d), the Minister said, ‘Rule 13 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 restricts photography at DGCA-licensed aerodromes and from aircraft in flight, except with prior written permission.”
The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), Section 3, Air Transport, Series M, Part VI, deals with handling of unruly passengers.
Clause 1.1 says “unlawful/disruptive behaviour on board the aircraft may interfere with the performance of duties of the crew members or hamper the ability of the crew members to perform those duties or jeopardise the safety of the aircraft/persons/property on board/good order & discipline on board, cause discomfort to other passengers & crew members and may invite penal action in accordance with applicable regulations. In such a situation, passengers are expected to abide by law of the land and utilise the means and resources for grievance redressal as specified by the Government.”
Clause 3.1 defines an “unruly passenger” as “a passenger who fails to respect the rules of conduct at an airport or on board an aircraft or to follow the instructions of the airport staff or
crew members and thereby disturbs the good order and discipline at an airport or on board the aircraft”.
Read together, these directives mean that an passenger who plays loud music and causes discomfort to fellow travellers, can be classified as unruly and penal consequences would follow.