For not allowing a special needs youngster to board an aircraft from Ranchi, IndiGo Airlines was fined 5 lakh.
There was a “poor treatment of the special child by the Indigo ground employees,” the country’s top air travel regulator, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Passengers were refused to board as a result of the severe approach taken because “a more humane handling would have smoothed the nerves, relaxed the child,” the airline stated.
According to a statement, “Special situations require 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 competent authority has decided to fine the airline 5 lakh.
The agency went on to say that it would evaluate its policies and make appropriate modifications in order to avoid situations like these.
An investigation was launched by the aviation authorities after widespread criticism was leveled at the ground workers for not allowing the toddler to board the aircraft.
Several passengers on the May 7 aircraft from Ranchi, India to Hyderabad, India, recounted the agony of a young girl and her parents, who were denied entry because of their religious beliefs, to Manisha Gupta.
She said that the IndiGo manager shouted and told everyone that the “kid is unruly” in a viral social media post. Ms Gupta reported that the other passengers had banded together in support of the family and pleaded with them, but to no avail.
Despite the public outcry, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta said they were “forced to make a painful decision” in response. “Obviously, our goal was to transport the entire family, but the teenager appeared to be in a state of fear as we arrived at the boarding place. The airport officials, following safety requirements, had to make a difficult decision about whether this disruption would be carried through onto the plane, despite our commitment to provide our clients with courteous and sensitive service “he informed me.
According to the airline, a hotel room was supplied for the family, and they were able to fly the next morning to their final destination.
The DGCA served the airline with a show-cause notice earlier this month. According to the authority, preliminary results indicated that passengers were handled inappropriately.
Indian Airlines has been fined $1 million for “inappropriate handling of customers,” according to a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
There is “zero tolerance for such behavior” and “no human being should have to go through this,” according to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia earlier this year.
Source: NDTV
