DGCA, the nodal aviation body in India has once again imposed a monetary penalty on Air India over unruly passenger behaviour. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Tata-owned Air India for not reporting two incidents on a Paris-New Delhi flight last year. The incident happened within days of the urination incident on the New York-Delhi flight.
As per reports, the unruly behavior of two passengers on the Paris-New Delhi flight was ignored by Air India. While one passenger smoked inside the flight’s lavatory (smoking is prohibited inside the aircraft), another intoxicated passenger relieved himself on a blanket placed on an empty seat.
The fine comes within days of the DGCA imposing a first-of-its-kind fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India for mishandling a urination incident on a New York-Delhi flight. The incident, which took place on November 26, 2022, attracted much media attention, resulting in the arrest of Shankar Mishra, accused of urinating on an elderly woman while in an inebriated condition.
Apart from imposing a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India, the DGCA also imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh on the director of in-flight services of Air India for failing to discharge his duties. The DGCA also suspended the license of the pilot-in-command for three months.