Visakhapatnam​: Selfie-crazed fliers unaware of curbs

Visakhapatnam​: Passengers, mostly first-time fliers or those unaware of rules, take selfies while boarding and while getting down from the plane at the city airport leading to frequent altercation with the airlines’ staff.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has prohibited this as the Vizag airport is a Navy enclave. Photography is strictly banned here. It may also be noted that the city police had  imposed a ban on use of drones for taking pictures or videos. 

Taking these instructions casually, however,  passengers are often seen taking selfies. As a result of this, airline staff are being forced to demand the phones of passengers to delete the pictures, resulting in arguments.

With increased use of smart devices, there have been many instances where travellers as well as crew members including pilots click photographs inside flights. In view of safety concerns, the DGCA had directed the airlines, through an airline safety circular last year, to ensure that passengers do not ‘indulge in photography’ while boarding or de-boarding a plane.

“Apart from the DGCA’s instructions, our airport comes in defence territory. So no one should indulge in photography in view of safety.  We have put up boards prohibiting photography at the airport and urge the passengers to adhere to the rules,” Vizag Airport Director G. Prakash Reddy said.

“Many still do not know that taking photographs is prohibited. So we are not going harsh on the passengers now.  I hope with the course of time, things will change. We are trying our best to prevent fliers from taking photos,” Vizag airport manager for Sri Lankan Airlines Ramakrishna said.

“What I observed was that mostly people flying for the first time indulge in taking pictures of even the air hostess onboard, unaware of the consequences.” a city-based travel agency head, a regular flier, said.