The Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued another notice to Air India on cause for failing to follow procedures to deal with unruly passengers on a flight between Paris and Delhi.
The regulator said there were two incidents on December 6, 2022 on an Air India flight (AI-142) from Paris to New Delhi.
The regulator said one passenger was caught smoking in the toilet, was drunk and did not listen to the crew, another is said to have relieved himself on an empty seat and a fellow passenger’s blanket as she went to the toilet.
This is the second communication from the aviation regulator to Air India with the first communication of an incident that occurred on Air India flight AI102 – which operates between New York and New York Delhi – on November 26, 2022, where a passenger in an intoxicated state relieved himself of a fellow passenger. The regulator had described Air India’s behavior in dealing with a recalcitrant passenger as “unprofessional and that led to a system failure”.
“M/s Air India did not report the incident until DGCA requested the incident report from them on 01/05/2023. Upon reviewing the reply sent by M/s Air India via email dated 06/01/2023, it appears prima facie that provisions regarding the handling of unruly passengers have not been complied with. The airline’s response was found to be careless and delayed,” the aviation authority said in a statement released today.
As part of the notice, the regulator has given the airline two weeks to send its response to the regulator “and further action will be taken on that basis”.
In the November 26 incident, the defendant – Shankar Mishra – was arrested by Delhi police on Saturday. Air India had filed a complaint with the police on December 28 – over a month after the incident – and the police have filed a complaint FIR on January 4th.
One of the unruly passengers on the Paris flight was arrested at the airport but was released after the victim decided not to pursue her complaint. Air India has not even informed the regulator about unruly passengers on this flight.
In its statement, the regulator reiterated that if an incident of unruly passengers/passenger anger/passenger misconduct is reported on its flight, the airline concerned has a responsibility to notify the DGCA within 12 hours of the aircraft landing.
The airline must then escalate the incident to the internal committee, which consists of three members outside the airline.
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