By: Aditya Ahuja

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has issued new guidelines, allowing passengers to exit from an aircraft through an airport departure gate, in case there is a long delay in operating the flight after boarding.

This latest directive from the BCAS comes in response to the increasing incidents of congestion and flight delays, leading to passengers being stranded in aircraft for extended periods after boarding.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 38th BCAS Raising Day function at the Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi, the BCAS Director General Zulfiquar Hasan pointed out instances where passengers were stranded inside aircraft due to adverse weather conditions and other unavoidable circumstances. He described this situation as passengers being ‘held captive,’ underscoring the urgency of addressing such issues.

He said that these guidelines aim to reduce inconvenience for passengers, ensuring they do not have to remain seated inside an aircraft for extended periods after boarding.

‘This year, we have introduced standards and tools to define and measure optimal space and processing time at each passenger touchpoint. Terminal capacities are being assessed using these tools, and efforts to enhance capacity have begun to address these gaps,” stated the BCAS DG.

The DG said that the new guidelines were issued to airlines and airport operators on March 30 and are currently in effect.