(CNN) – In an effort to stop the wave of the coronavirus, Thailand has banned food, drink and any other printed materials, other than safety information cards, on board domestic flights. Airlines will have to comply with the regulations or they could be subject to a possible penalty from their regulatory authority, the Thai Civil Aviation Authority.
This is the second time such a move has been made. Thailand previously banned in-flight food and beverage service on April 26, 2020, but the ban was lifted on August 31.
Chula Sukmanop, director general of the Thai Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT), confirmed the move to CNN.
“The cleaning time after each stop of the domestic flight is extremely short, because the operators tend to make the fastest possible change and I think it is unlikely that the operators will be able to clean all these items well. Therefore, having non-essential reading materials on the board would create a higher risk of exposure to the virus, “he said.
This does not mean that passengers will have to find a way to kill time during the flight without reading material. They are allowed to bring their own magazines or newspapers on board, but they will probably be asked to take those articles with them when they disappear. The CAA ban applies to anything that is distributed on board, such as menus, duty-free catalogs (not a number for domestic travel) or in-flight magazines.
Consumption of food or drink is also prohibited on domestic flights, even if passengers bring it on board, as masks must be worn at all times.
According to a CAAT statement, the cabin crew will be allowed to provide water if passengers request it, which can happen in situations where, for example, someone needs water to take medication.
Domestic air travel to Thailand is currently at about 40% of normal capacity.
The decision entered into force on December 31.