DGCA Imposes Fine on Air India
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India due to inadequate provision of wheelchairs, following an incident on February 12 where an 80-year-old passenger collapsed and died while walking from an aircraft to the terminal in Mumbai.
This penalty was levied for breaching the provisions of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, as stated by the Civil aviation regulator in a news release on Thursday.
Additionally, the DGCA issued a directive to all airlines to ensure sufficient availability of wheelchairs for passengers requiring assistance during embarking or disembarking from an aircraft. Post the incident, the regulator had issued a show cause notice to the airline owned by Tata Sons.
Air India’s Response
In response, Air India explained that the elderly passenger preferred to walk alongside his wife, who was also in a wheelchair, rather than waiting for another wheelchair. The airline clarified that immediate wheelchair provision was challenging as only 15 wheelchairs were allocated for the passengers of the aircraft, while 32 were needed. Consequently, the DGCA issued a show cause notice to Air India for non-compliance with the provisions outlined in CAR SECTION 3, SERIES ‘M’, PART I concerning the transportation of persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility, which constitutes a violation of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.
Regulatory Actions
Despite Air India submitting its response on February 20, informing the regulator about the elderly passenger’s preference to walk alongside his wife in a wheelchair, the airline failed to demonstrate compliance with the CAR, as it did not provide a wheelchair to the elderly passenger, as stated by the regulator.
Moreover, the DGCA noted that Air India did not report any action taken against the responsible employee(s). Additionally, the airline did not furnish details regarding corrective measures implemented to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, as highlighted by the regulator.
