Saurabh Sinha (THE TIMES OF INDIA; September 13, 2020)

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) warned airlines that a repeat of unruly scenes on IndiGo’s Chandigarh-Mumbai flight on Wednesday that had actress Kangana Ranaut on board will lead to carriers being suspending from operating on the route on which the incident takes place for two weeks.

It issued an order on Saturday iterating that photography was not allowed at a “government aerodrome or from an aircraft in flight… except (with)... permission in writing by (designated aviation officials)… This permission is, however, not applicable when the aircraft is landing, taking off or on ground at a defence aerodrome”.

While the order conveys that no photography is allowed on board aircraft or at airports, top officials said it was to prevent a repeat of what happened on the Chandigarh-Mumbai flight. “We do not intend to stop photography with mobiles that passengers of all ages do while travelling (except at defence airfields). The idea is not to let safety protocol be violated due to a frenzy and stop intrusion of privacy in-flight for anyone,” a senior official said.

IndiGo said: “...we are reinforcing our messaging in flight on prohibition of photography while on board.” Comments from other airlines are awaited.

The regulator also slammed IndiGo for failing to prevent the behaviour by electronic media once the aircraft touched down in Mumbai by allowing many “big cameras” on the flight and not stopping them at Chandigarh airport with the help of security personnel.

DGCA also wrote to IndiGo president and COO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer about “a number of violations” and “failing to take suitable and effective remedial measures” on Ranaut’s flight. IndiGo was directed to “submit an action taken report within 15 days, failing which suitable action will be initiated”.

IndiGo on Friday said its cabin crew and captain followed requisite protocols during that flight.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 15, 2017)

After clearing written tests and a day-check ride a few months ago, actress and adventure junkie Gul Panag recently received her pilot’s licence. “There are two parts of the exam, one is written and then you are tested on the aircraft with your instructor, the final check. Then, you submit documents, medical papers, exam results, flight radio operators license and your log book where number of hours on flight are written. That got issued a couple of weeks back. I try and fly every month. Every Sunday, I fly on the simulator for two-three hours because it keeps me up to speed so I don’t need to get my groove back each time on a real plane. A lot of people would have never seen what an aviation license looks like so I shared it on social media,” Gul says.

Explain the process further, Gul says, “The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) requirement is flying 40 hours, of which 20 have to be solo and 10 cross country. I broke mine into three-four installments. I’m getting together with like-minded friends who are pursuing PPL to buy our own plane. The plan is to do an around-the-world flight in a single engine aircraft.”

Gul plans to get certified to fly more kinds of planes. “I have to clear an exam for every plane I want to be rated on and there is a DGCA paper one needs to clear and a check on an aircraft to be rated. The plane I’m rated to fly currently is Cessna 172 Thielert, a variation of the Cessna 172,” she signs off.