IndiGo bars 9 journalists from flying for 15 days over Kangana row

On September 11, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had written a strongly worded letter to Indigo CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer and instructed to take action against all those who did not follow COVID-19 protocol.

New Delhi: IndiGo on Saturday barred nine media personnel from flying with the airline for 15 days over their alleged unruly behaviour onboard Chandigarh-Mumbai flight (6E-264) on September 9. The journalists had boarded the flight with actor Kangana Ranaut.

According to an IndiGo official, the journalists have been barred from flying with the airline between October 15 to 30, and the decision was taken after an internal committee of the airline found that they had behaved in an unruly manner.

On September 11, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had written a strongly worded letter to Indigo CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer and instructed to take action against all those who did not follow COVID-19 protocol.

After the incident in the flight, the DGCA had warned all domestic airlines that it would suspend services for two weeks if any violation is found thereafter.

The DGCA order had then stated that there are multiple issues with this incident and prominent among them are related to "photography on board in violation of Aircraft rules 13, violation of COVID-19 protocols and certain actions falling within the purview of the unruly behaviour onboard.

"It has been decided that from now on in case any violation (photography) occurs on any scheduled passenger aircraft - the schedule of flight for that particular route shall be suspended for a period of two weeks from the next day (of the incident)," the DGCA said.

As per the DGCA rules, an airline can put an "unruly passenger" on its "no-fly list" for a certain period of time after an internal inquiry.