'Lackadaisical' Air India Receives Show Cause Notice From DGCADGCA has issued a show cause notice to Air India for failing to report urination and smoking incidents on its Paris-New Delhi flight on 6 December, 2022

Air India is once again under public ire after two episodes of unruly passengers were reported on its Paris-New Delhi flight. The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to Air India for failing to report urination and smoking incidents on its flight AI-142 (Paris-New Delhi) on 6 December, 2022 and has termed the airline's response as 'lackadaisical and delayed'.

Another incident was reported on its New York to New Delhi flight (AI-102) on 26 November, 2022, wherein a male passenger conducted himself in a disorderly manner and allegedly relieved himself on a female passenger.

"One passenger was caught smoking in the lavatory, was drunk and not listening to the crew. Another passenger allegedly relieved himself on a vacant seat and blanket of a fellow female passenger when she went to the lavatory. M/s Air India didn't report the incident until DGCA sought the incident report from them on 05.01.2023. After perusal of the reply submitted by M/s Air India through email dated 06.01.2023, prima facie it emerges that provisions related to handling of unruly passengers as per DGCA CAR Section -3, Series-M, Part-VI have not been complied with. It has been noted that the response of the airline has been lackadaisical and delayed," the notice read.

In view of this, DGCA has issued show cause notice to the accountable manager of Air India as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations. However, to follow the principles of natural justice, they have been given two weeks time to submit their reply to DGCA and based on that further action will be taken. As per regulations, the concerned airline is responsible for informing the DGCA within 12 hours of landing of the aircraft in case of any incident of unruly passengers/passenger rage/passenger misconduct reported in their flight. Further, the concerned airline shall refer the incident to the internal committee.

The incident of the New York to New Delhi flight came to light only when the passenger wrote to Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran. She complained that AI cabin crew were insensitive and no action was taken against the male passenger. After a slew of media reports surfaced, the incident drew a lot of flak and the hunt was on for the accused: Shankar Mishra. Soon after, the Delhi police arrested Mishra from Bengaluru following an examination of his call detail records. He was sent to 14 days in judicial custody.

Till now, no arrest has been made in connection with the Paris-New Delhi flight incident. In light of the recent occurrences, Air India has to wait until March to implement new employment policies aimed at improving accountability and inculcating a culture of performance, reported Economic Times.