The director of Madurai airport, S. Senthil Valavan, said on Monday that the airport is conducting a detailed inquiry into a post-wedding joy ride by a marriage party onboard a SpiceJet aircraft that off from the Madurai International Airport on Sunday.
A young couple from Madurai decided to have a wedding mid-air as Tamil Nadu has gone under lockdown due to the spike in coronavirus cases. The couple booked a Boeing 737 plane to Bengaluru. Their families, relatives and guests all were present as the couple tied the knot mid-air.
However, the incident is under investigation over the violation of Covid safety rules. The aviation regulator has asked for a report on the incident, whereas the crew of the SpiceJet flight has been derostered for inquiry.
The bride, groom and their families will also face action as the crew said passengers avoided following Covid rules despite repeated requests.
The videos and pictures of the wedding are going around on social media. In one of the viral videos, the groom can be seen tying Mangalsutra on the bride, and in another, the cameraman can be heard asking them to smile. The crowd is clearly visible in the visuals.
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People can be seen enjoying the wedding without following any Covid protocol. Most of them are without face masks and no social distancing is followed.
Regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has launched an inquiry into the matter and has asked for a full report from the airline and airport authority. Meanwhile, SpiceJet has been asked to file a complaint against the people for not following Covid-appropriate behavior.
Also, in a statement, SpiceJet has said that the flight was booked by a travel agent on May 23 and it was claimed to be a post-wedding joyride.
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“The client was clearly briefed on Covid guidelines to be followed and denied the permission for any activity to be performed on the board. The agent and the guest passengers were briefed in detail, both in writing as well as verbally, on social distancing and safety norms to be followed as per Covid guideline both at the airport and on board the aircraft throughout the journey,” said SpiceJet.
The private airline also claimed that the passengers were repeatedly reminded of guidelines. A SpiceJet spokesperson said the airline is taking appropriate action.