On Sunday, a SpiceJet charter flight took off from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, in southern India. The flight, lasting just over an hour, flew from north to Bangalore then returned to Madurai, hovering over the Hindu Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, according to Newsweek.
- Onboard, a bride and groom tied the knot in a mid-air wedding ceremony with about 160 family and friends, said Fox News.
The couple and their passengers are now under investigation for breaking coronavirus lockdown regulations. However, according to Fox News, authorities are unsure what penalties under what jurisdiction they can charge against the couple.
- SpiceJet authorities deny any knowledge of the mid-air wedding, reported Newsweek.
Indian couple has a mid-air wedding to evade COVID-19 lockdowns
The couple, known only as Rakesh and Dheekshana, booked the charter flight on May 23, telling the airline they wanted to go for a joyride after their wedding the week prior, said Newsweek. However, per The New York Times, videos and images came out Sunday showing the couple exchanging traditional ornaments of a wedding ceremony.
In the photos and videos, hundreds of guests are seen maskless, standing in aisles, and packed together on the flight. The couple along with their guests are seen celebrating and striking poses, reported Newsweek.
- Under the current COVID-19 lockdown regulations in Tamil Nadu, the couple’s home state, weddings must not exceed 50 guests, said The Hill.
- India is currently under a devastating second wave of coronavirus. The south Indian state of Tamil Nadu has the country’s fourth-highest caseload, averaging 34,000 new cases per day, reported The New York Times.
Supposedly, the couple booked the charter flight to evade the lockdown restrictions in Tamil Nadu, said Newsweek. The couple claims all passengers were relatives that tested negative prior to the flight.
- Under current SpiceJet regulations, masks must be worn on board at all times and passengers must refrain from taking photos, reported Fox News. The airline says that all passengers were informed of the safety regulations prior to the flight.
The wedding celebration is now under investigation and may face penalties
What began as a creative — albeit risky — way to celebrate amid a pandemic may end in penalties and charges for those involved.
- SpiceJet said it will take “appropriate action as per the rules” since the passengers disregarded COVID-19 safety procedures, reported Newsweek.
According to The Hill, some air travel officials have encouraged SpiceJet to ban all of the passengers from future passenger flights.
- The flight crew who flew the plane has been removed from the SpiceJet roster, said The Hill.
Authorities in Tamil Nadu are also investigating the incident, but remain uncertain as to the procedure for pressing charges. The police called it a “peculiar violation,” per Newsweek.