Advertisement
In a significant move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a financial penalty of Rs 30 lakhs on Air India following an incident where an 80-year-old passenger collapsed and died after being denied a wheelchair at Mumbai airport. The passenger had to walk from the aircraft to the terminal, leading to a tragic outcome. This action by DGCA comes in the wake of increasing concerns about the non-availability of essential services for elderly passengers.
30 Lakh Fine by DGCA for Wheelchair Non-availability. The incident, which garnered national attention, prompted the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to issue a notice to DGCA seeking information on the steps taken or proposed to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. The NHRC observed that if the media reports were true, there was a serious violation of the human rights of the deceased passenger.
The elderly man, who was travelling with his wife from New York to India, collapsed after walking approximately 1.5 km on the way to the immigration area. Despite a prior request to the airline for a wheelchair, the passenger was forced to walk alongside his wife, who was provided with one. The NHRC has asked DGCA for a detailed report within four weeks, including the status of any compensation provided to the deceased passenger’s next of kin.
