Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday issued show cause notice to the Accountable Manager of Air India after two incidents of passenger misbehavior occurring the airline’s flight AI-142 from Paris to New Delhi on December 6 last year came to the notice of the regulator.
The show cause notice said why enforcement action “should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations”. One passenger was caught smoking in the toilet, 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. According to a DGCA press release, Air India didn’t report the incident until DGCA sought the incident report from them on January 5.
“After perusal of the reply submitted by Air India through email dated January 6, prima facie it emerges that provisions related to the handling of unruly passengers as per DGCA CAR Section -3, Series-M, Part-VI have not been complied with,” the press release said.
DGCA said It has been noted that the response of the airline has been “lackadaisical and delayed”. “In view of this, DGCA has issued Show Cause notice to Accountable Manager of M/s Air India as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations. However, to follow the principles of natural justice, they have been given two weeks time to submit their reply to DGCA and based on that further action will be taken,” the release said.
DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section -3, Series-M, Part-VI on ‘Handling of Unruly Passenger’ and Cabin Safety Circular 02 of 2010 on ‘Unruly Passengers/Passenger Rage/Passenger Misconduct incidents reporting procedure’.