advisory issued on handling passengers amid longer flights

New Delhi, April 27 -- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued an advisory to airlines to implement a set of mandatory passenger handling measures, including providing proper communication and in-flight catering services, to address the extended flying time in international flights due to the Pakistan airspace closure.

The development comes amid Pakistan closing its airspace for Indian airlines, resulting in longer flying hours for flights and need for operational halts at intermediate airports.

In its advisory, the aviation regulator asked airlines to proactively inform passengers about revised flight routes, total expected travel time, and the possibility of technical stops. Passengers must be clearly told th...