Maintain database of all unruly passengers, says DGCA to Air India

Following two incidents of passenger misconduct in the Air India Paris-New Delhi flight on December 6, 2022, aviation regulator DGCA has asked the airline to maintain a database of all unruly passengers.

It also asked the airline to refer the incident to the internal committee which will decide the duration of ban for flying of the unruly passenger within 30 days and thiscan extend from zero day to lifetime ban.

Two incidents of passenger misbehavior occurring on Air India flight AI-142 on December 6, 2022 from Paris to New Delhi, came to the notice of the DGCA. One passenger was caught smoking in the lavatory, was drunk and not listening to the crew. Another passenger allegedly relieved himself on a vacant seat and blanket of a fellow female passenger when she went to the lavatory.

A senior DGCA official said that the airline concerned shall refer the incident to the internal committee comprising three members including a retired district and session judge as Chairman, a representative from a different scheduled airline as member, and representative from a passengers association or consumer association or retired officer of the Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum as member.

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During the pendency of the decision by the Internal Committee, the concerned airline may ban such unruly passengers from flying for a period not exceeding 30 days, said the DGCA official on Monday.

After the decision of the Internal Committee, the airline shall maintain a database of all such unruly passengers and inform the same to the DGCA who is the custodian for maintaining the"No-Fly List".

"It may be noted that the period for which an unruly passenger can be put on `No-Fly List` is the sole decision of the internal committee of the airline concerned," said the regulator.

The DGCA on Monday said that the response of Air India has been "lackadaisical and delayed" with regard to the two incidents of passenger misbehaviour occurring on Air India flight AI-142 on from Paris to New Delhi on December 6, 2022.

The DGCA on Monday said that Air India didn`t report the incident until the regulator sought the incident report from them on January 5.

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"After perusal of the reply submitted by M/s Air India through email dated January 6, prima facie it emerges that provisions related to handling of an unruly passengers as per DGCA CAR Section 3, Series-M, Part-VIA have not been complied with. It has been noted that the response of the airline has been lackadaisical and delayed," it said.