Indian couple charter flight for 170-guest mid-air wedding.
A couple in India along with more than 160 guests booked an entire plane for a mid-air wedding to avoid Covid-19 restrictions, as infections and deaths continue to surge in the South Asian country.
Most Indian states only allow 50 guests at weddings, forcing the unnamed couple to think outside of the box in renting a SpiceJet aircraft.
The plane reportedly flew over the historic Meenakshi Amman temple on its way from Madurai to Bengaluru as the couple were wed.
Video of the ceremony shows the plane packed with guests as the couple, clad in wedding attire, exchanged garlands.
According to reports, India’s civil aviation authority has ordered an investigation and suspended the crew of the jet.
All passengers who took part in the controversial flight may be banned from flying.
In a statement, SpiceJet blamed its customers instead of its staff for the incident.
“The agent and the guest passengers were briefed in detail, both in writing as well as verbally, on social distancing and safety norms to be followed as per COVID guidelines both at the airport and onboard the aircraft throughout the journey,” a SpiceJet spokesperson told local media.
“Despite repeated requests and reminders, the passengers did not follow COVID guidelines and the airline is taking appropriate action as per rules.”
India has passed more than 300,000 coronavirus deaths, the third country after the United States and Brazil to hit the figure.
It reported 4,454 Covid-19 deaths on Monday, the second-highest daily toll since reaching a record 4,529 on Wednesday.
Rakesh-Dakshina from Madurai, who rented a plane for two hours and got married in the wedding sky. Family members who flew from Madurai to Bangalore after getting married by SpiceJet flight from Bangalore to Madurai. #COVID19India #lockdown @TV9Telugu #weddingrestrictions pic.twitter.com/9nDyn3MM4n
— DONTHU RAMESH (@DonthuRamesh) May 23, 2021
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