IndiGo was fined ₹5 Lakh for refusing to board a boy with special needs
IndiGo Airlines was fined Rs. 5 lakh for refusing to allow a special needs boy to board a flight from Ranchi.
A probe found that “the handling of the special child by the Indigo ground staff was deficient and ended up exacerbating the situation,” according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the country’s top aviation regulator.
It said in a statement that “a more compassionate handling would have smoothed the nerves, calmed the child, and obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in denied boarding to the passengers.”
Special situations demand extraordinary responses, but the airline’s staff failed to rise to the occasion, committing lapses in adherence to the letter and spirit of the Civil Aviation Requirements (Regulations),” according to the statement, which also stated that the competent authority has decided to fine the airline Rs. 5 lakh.
The regulator went on to say that in order to avoid such situations, it would revisit its regulations and make the necessary changes.
The ground crew’s refusal to let the child board the plane drew widespread condemnation, prompting the aviation regulator to launch an investigation. The incident was brought to light after Manisha Gupta, a passenger on the Ranchi-Hyderabad flight on May 7, described the child’s and her parents’ ordeal when the crew refused to let them board. Ms Gupta claimed in a viral social media post that the IndiGo manager kept shouting and telling everyone that the “child is uncontrollable.” Other passengers rallied around the family, Ms Gupta said, pleading with them to let them fly, but to no avail.
IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said in a statement that they were “forced to make a difficult decision” in response to the outrage. “Our intention was to carry the family throughout the check-in and boarding process, but when we arrived at the boarding area, the teenager appeared to be in distress. While providing courteous and compassionate service to our customers is extremely important to us, the airport staff was forced to make a difficult decision based on safety guidelines as to whether or not the commotion would continue aboard the plane “he stated
According to the airline, the family was given a hotel room and flew to their destination the next morning.
The DGCA issued a showcause notice to the airline earlier this month. Preliminary findings suggested that the passengers were treated “inappropriately,” according to the regulator.
“The committee’s findings prima facie indicate that Indigo staff handled passengers improperly, resulting in certain non-compliances with applicable regulations,” the DGCA said.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Minister of Civil Aviation, had previously stated that there is “zero tolerance for such behaviour” and that “no human being should have to go through this.”
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