An Indian couple chartered an airliner and held a mid-air wedding ceremony attended by 160 guests to get round Covid-19 restrictions in their home town.
The couple from Madurai, in southern Tamil Nadu state, booked the SpiceJet Boeing 737 flight to Bangalore, in neighbouring Karnataka state, to exchange their vows on Sunday, but are now facing an inquiry after videos of the event went viral.
Tamil Nadu is under a severe wave of coronavirus and has restricted gatherings, including weddings, to 50 people.
The couple, identified as Rakesh and Dakshina, exchanged garlands and performed Hindu rituals as the aircraft flew over the revered Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, on its two-hour flight.
Videos on social media showed the couple in their wedding finery posing before cameras, as scores of mask-less guests filled the aisle.
SpiceJet said that its staff warned the guests about the event as domestic airlines make it mandatory for passengers to wear masks and maintain social distance during flights.
The videos led the country's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, to launch an investigation. It suspended the flight crew pending an inquiry.
“DGCA has initiated investigations on the mid-air marriage," the authority said.
"It has sought a full report from the airline and Airport Authority. The SpiceJet crew is off-rostered."
The regulatory body also asked the airline to file a complaint against the people on board who were not following Covid-19 rules.
Indian weddings are known for their grandeur and elaborate ceremonies but the pandemic has dampened the celebrations, with most states limiting guests and ceremonies.
India on Sunday passed 300,000 Covid-19 deaths as it continues to reel under a second wave of the pandemic that has overwhelmed its healthcare system.
It was unclear whether the couple held further ceremonies on their return.
SpiceJet said the couple had booked the plane from Madurai to Bangalore through a travel agent for a “joy ride” after their wedding.
“The client was clearly briefed on Covid guidelines to be followed and denied permission for any activity to be performed on-board,” SpiceJet said.
The Indian government has tightened its aviation rules in recent years to handle unruly and disruptive passengers, and created a national no-fly list to keep a track of such travellers.
Penalties can include a domestic flying ban of between three months and two years.
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Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
