E-Paper
Urination incident: DGCA imposes ₹30 lakh fine on Air India
CGA officials said that they were unsatisfied with Air India’s written reply that was submitted to them on Thursday. Air India submitted an internal report in connection with the urination case.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday imposed a fine of ₹30 lakh on Air India and suspended its pilot-in-command for three months for failing to discharge his duties as per rules.
The incident refers to a male passenger allegedly urinating on a female passenger on board Air India flight AI-102 flight on November 26 from New York to Delhi. However, the aviation regulator said that they were informed of the incident only after media reports highlighted the matter.
Also Read: Passenger opens emergency door of IndiGo flight, DGCA orders probe
Air India filed a first information report (FIR) and reported the matter to the DGCA on January 4 whereas, it received the complaint from the woman passenger on November 27.
Issuing show cause notices to the accountable manager of Air India, the director of in-flight services of Air India, and all the pilots and cabin crew members of the flight, the DGCA asked: “...as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations.”
DCGA officials said that they were unsatisfied with Air India’s written reply that was submitted to them on Thursday. Air India submitted an internal report in connection with the urination case.
Based on Air India’s reply to DGCA, the aviation regulator imposed a financial penalty of ₹30 lakh for violation of applicable DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).
The DGCA stated that it has also suspended the license of the pilot-in-command of the said flight for three months for failing to discharge his duties as per Rule 141 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and applicable DGCA CAR.
It further imposed a financial penalty of three lakh on the director-in-flight services of Air India for failing to discharge her duties as per applicable DGCA CAR.
Also Read: Air India imposes 4 month ban on flyer in urination case
Responding to DGCA’s imposition, Air India released a statement on Friday saying the airline is strengthening crews’ awareness and is taking relevant steps to ensure the same will not be repeated.
“We are in receipt of today’s order from the Director General of Civil Aviation and are studying the same. We respectfully acknowledge the gaps in our reporting and are taking relevant steps to ensure that the same are addressed. We are also strengthening our crews’ awareness of and compliance with policies on the handling of incidents involving unruly passengers. Air India is committed to stand by the safety and well-being of our passengers,” an Air India spokesperson said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Air India on Thursday banned Shankar Mishra, the accused in the urination case, for four months. Earlier, it announced a ban of 30 days on Mishra after the incident came to light.
The DGCA maintains the national no-fly list, which temporarily prohibits unruly passengers from boarding flights operated by all Indian carriers.
In the latest development, Mishra’s lawyer claimed his client did not urinate on the woman, instead the woman herself peed-- indicating some urine incontinence issue.
Mishra, a resident of Mumbai, was arrested by Delhi Police from Bengaluru earlier this month. He is in police custody.
