NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has slapped a penalty of `5 lakh on IndiGo airlines for denying boarding to a specially abled child at Ranchi airport earlier this month.
“Based on the inquiry conducted by the DGCA, a showcause notice was issued to IndiGo. In view of the inquiry report, the competent authority in DGCA has decided to impose a penalty of `5 Lakh on the airline under the provisions of the relevant Aircraft Rules,” a statement issued by the DGCA said.
The inquiry revealed that the handling of the special child by the Indigo ground staff was “deficient and ended up exacerbating the situation”. “A more compassionate handling would have smoothened the nerves, calmed the child and would have obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in denial of boarding to the passengers. Special situations deserve extraordinary responses but the airline staff failed to rise up to the occasion and in the process committed lapses in adherence to the letter and spirit of the Civil Aviation Requirements Regulations,” the DGCA added.
The regulator said in order to avoid such situations in the future, it would revisit its own regulations, making it mandatory for airlines to take the airport doctor's written opinion on the health of a passenger before making a decision to deny boarding. Moreover, the DGCA said the new regulations would make sure there is also a written consultation with the captain of the aircraft for his or her opinion in such a situation.