Delays, boarding timings: 72% distress calls from IGI flyers did not need police action

According to police, of the total number of distress calls received in 2018, the ones that required a FIR included thefts of valuables, baggage going missing, accidents or rash driving, misconduct, brawl, scuffle or fights and to alert police over spotting an unattended bag,

At least 67% of the distress calls flyers made to police from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport related to matters concerning the airlines and issues related to tickets, delays, boarding or timings of the flights. A total of 72% of the police control room calls flyers made last year required no police intervention, officials say.

In 2018, IGI airport’s police control room received around 6,500 calls from passengers out of which action could be initiated in only 26% calls. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Policemen at the airport are undergoing a special training to deal with non-policing issues.

According to police data, in 2018, the airport’s police control room received around 6,500 calls from passengers. Officials said police action could be initiated in only 26% calls.

“From accusations against airline staff for missing a flight or reporting delay in flights and from not being allowed in the terminal building because of some fault in travel documents to crimes, we receive all kinds of calls every day. Our men respond to every call but most of these fall under the jurisdiction of the airlines,” said deputy commissioner of police, IGIA, Sanjay Bhatia.

“We make sure our staff responds to every call. In many cases, passengers were found complaining because they had reported late and the airline staff did not allow them to go to the boarding area. In many cases, we found passengers had dialled 100 because they were upset with the strict checking by the Central Industrial Security Force or by the airport staff,” the DCP said.

Bhatia said that in such situations, police personnel try to pacify the passengers. “However, since no police action could be initiated in most such cases, no FIR is lodged,” the officer said, adding they are now focussing on making policemen more courteous so that they are able to deal with such matters smoothly.

The DCP said, last month, a special training was arranged to train policemen posted at IGI Airport to deal with such issues.

“The training focussed on how such issues, which do not involve police action, can be sorted. Our men were taught to be soft spoken, welcoming and be able to pacify an outraged passenger and explain him/her what to do next. If the person is willing to make a departmental complaint he/she will also be assisted in that,” he said, adding that as many as 50 policemen have already undergone the training and the rest will be trained in a phased manner.

Of the total number of distress calls received in 2018, the ones that required lodging of a first information report (FIR) included thefts of valuables, baggage going missing, accidents or rash driving, misconduct, brawl, scuffle or fights and to alert police over spotting an unattended bag, Bhatia said.