Question : Hot Meals on Domestic Flights

(a) whether the Government has allowed airlines to serve hot meals on all the domestic flights and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether this decision is likely to increase the Air fare and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has issued any Covid-19 instruction to airlines for serving meals during the flight, if so, the details thereof?
(d) whether the Government has also issued any guidelines/ instructions regarding the quality of meals to be served in the domestic airline;
(e) if so, the details thereof and response of the airlines in this regard;
(f) whether the views of air passengers were also solicited before taking this decision and if so, the details thereof?

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD))
(a) to (f): Due to COVID-19 pandemic airline operations were suspended in March, 2020. Based on the evolving situation, a calibrated resumption of domestic operations commenced in May 2020 with various restrictions for safe air travel. Accordingly, Central Government restricted airlines to serve meals during COVID -19 pandemic in 2020 to contain the transmission of COVID-19 virus. The Government, in view of the guidelines issued by the M/o Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) for domestic travel and reduction of COVID case load on account of proper implementation of COVID appropriate behavior protocol and upon recommendations of Air Transport Facilitation Committee (ATFC) involving the members from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and MoH&FW, has recently amended the existing provision of the guidelines on 16.11.2021 relating to serving meals onboard without restriction of duration of the flight subject to adherence to guidelines issued from time to time in this regard. The meal cost comes under unbundling of services and is therefore choice of the passenger to avail these services. The quality of meals on board is governed by the policies of the respective airlines adhering to the appropriate extant guidelines on quality of food issued by the appropriate authorities.