NEW DELHI: Commercial airlines and charter & private jet operators will no longer need to close window shades during landing and take off at defence airports . The Operation Sindoor time order issued this May is no longer in vogue. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Saturday said on X: “After receipt of revised instructions, lowering of window shades is no longer required, while the prohibition on aerial/ground photography remains in effect for all operations at Indian Air Force joint use airports (JUAs).”
“Advisory to air operators on prohibition of aerial/ground photography and lowering of window shades were issued as per instructions from IAF to enhance operational safety at JUAs,” the regulator said Saturday in response to an issue raised about this on X.
Around May 20, the DGCA had directed commercial flights to ensure window shades of aircraft — except on emergency exit rows — remain closed during take off and landing at defence airports, “particularly those near the western Indian border.” The order had been issued for “strict compliance to enhance operational safety and prevent unintentional sharing of security-related information by general public/crew.”
The order was issued amid the currently paused Operation Sindoor that India launched after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025. Following that, 32 airports in north, central and western India — including many sensitive defence airbases with civil enclaves at places like Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Gwalior and Hindon — were closed for a few days. Once operations resumed there amid security concerns, the DGCA had issued directives for defence airfields.
“These instructions shall apply post opening of Indian airspace for commercial operations, to all scheduled, scheduled commuter, and non-scheduled aircraft operating from defence airfields: All passenger window shades, where applicable, (except at emergency exit windows) shall remain closed during the take-off and landing phases specifically, until the aircraft is airborne and has crossed an altitude of 10,000 feet during departure, or during arrival, it descends below 10,000 feet and reaches the parking bay at the civil terminal,” the DGCA order had said.
In normal circumstances, all window shades have to remain open during take off and landing for safety reasons. This allows passengers and crew to quickly assess external conditions, such as fires or debris, and to better see exits in case of an emergency evacuation.
“Advisory to air operators on prohibition of aerial/ground photography and lowering of window shades were issued as per instructions from IAF to enhance operational safety at JUAs,” the regulator said Saturday in response to an issue raised about this on X.
Around May 20, the DGCA had directed commercial flights to ensure window shades of aircraft — except on emergency exit rows — remain closed during take off and landing at defence airports, “particularly those near the western Indian border.” The order had been issued for “strict compliance to enhance operational safety and prevent unintentional sharing of security-related information by general public/crew.”
The order was issued amid the currently paused Operation Sindoor that India launched after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025. Following that, 32 airports in north, central and western India — including many sensitive defence airbases with civil enclaves at places like Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Gwalior and Hindon — were closed for a few days. Once operations resumed there amid security concerns, the DGCA had issued directives for defence airfields.
“These instructions shall apply post opening of Indian airspace for commercial operations, to all scheduled, scheduled commuter, and non-scheduled aircraft operating from defence airfields: All passenger window shades, where applicable, (except at emergency exit windows) shall remain closed during the take-off and landing phases specifically, until the aircraft is airborne and has crossed an altitude of 10,000 feet during departure, or during arrival, it descends below 10,000 feet and reaches the parking bay at the civil terminal,” the DGCA order had said.
In normal circumstances, all window shades have to remain open during take off and landing for safety reasons. This allows passengers and crew to quickly assess external conditions, such as fires or debris, and to better see exits in case of an emergency evacuation.
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