New Delhi: Aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on IndiGo airline for denying boarding to a specially-abled child at Ranchi airport on May 7. IndiGo had on May 9 said the boy was denied permission to board the Ranchi-Hyderabad flight as he was visibly in panic. As the boy was prohibited from boarding, his parents who were accompanying him also decided not to enter the plane.
The DGCA had on May 9 formed a three-member team to investigate the incident. "It has been observed that the handling of the special child by the Indigo ground staff was deficient and ended up exacerbating the situation," said a statement by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). More compassionate handling would have smoothened nerves, calmed the child and obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in denied boarding to the passengers, it mentioned.
Read: IndiGo stops specially-abled teenager from boarding flight in Ranchi, fellow passenger narrates tale of 'discrimination'
Special situations deserve extraordinary responses but the airline's 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), it noted. In view of this, the competent authority in the DGCA has decided to impose a penalty of Rs 5 lakhs on the airline under the provisions of the relevant Aircraft Rules, it mentioned.
Earlier this month, a Facebook post went viral involving an incident where the ground staff of IndiGo airline were seen prohibiting entry to a specially-challenged boy and his parents because he was in a 'state of panic'. Video of the incident went viral on social media and the airlines received heavy backlash from people. In a matter of days, DGCA formed a three-member team and initiated a probe and sought a report from the airline.
Responding to it, IndiGo had said in a statement that the child “could not board the flight…as he was in a state of panic” and his parents also decided not to board the flight. As the airline watchdog did not find IndiGo's statement satisfactory, it has now penalized it. “It has been observed that the handling of the special child by the Indigo ground staff was deficient and ended up exacerbating the situation,” said a statement by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
A more compassionate handling would have smoothened nerves, calmed the child and obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in denial of boarding to the passengers, the statement had said.
