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Madurai couple’s mid-air wedding on chartered flight under probe
SpiceJet said that despite repeated requests and reminders, the passengers did not follow Covid-19 guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per the rules.
A couple from Madurai who got married mid-air on board has got into trouble, along with the airline, for flouting Covid-19 norms. The couple’s pictures went viral on social media on Monday.
“The approval for this flight was taken as a joy ride for the wedding group,” said a SpiceJet spokesperson in a statement.
A SpiceJet Boeing 737 was chartered by a travel agent on May 23 as a round trip between Madurai and Bangalore for a group of passengers which included the wedding guests and videographers. They were seen jostling for space as the bride and the groom, dressed in traditional attire, jewellery and garlands, tied the knot. The flight was mid-air for more than an hour with more than a hundred guests.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday ordered strict action. News agency ANI tweeted that the DGCA has issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet and sought a detailed report on the incident.
SpiceJet said that despite repeated requests and reminders, the passengers did not follow Covid-19 guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per the rules.
“The client was clearly briefed on Covid guidelines to be followed and was denied permission for any activity to be performed on board...The group was repeatedly briefed on the safety norms to be followed by the operating cabin crew and advised to follow the protocols laid down by the DGCA including restrictions on photography and videography.”
The mid-air wedding was conducted a day before the ongoing lockdown in Tamil Nadu was further tightened due to the rising Covid-19 cases and deaths in the state.
