DGCA directs airlines to strictly follow Vishakha guidelines over sexual harassment

DGCA has instructed all domestic airlines to strictly follow Vishakha guidelines to ensure hassle-free flights for women staff on airlines. The instruction has been given on account of various complaints of harassment files by women staff members including pilots and cabin crews of different airlines.

New Delhi:India's aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday advised all domestic carriers to strictly comply with Vishakha guidelines that concern with sexual harassment complaints on flights.

In a letter sent to the CEOs of all airlines, DGCA said that it has received numerous complaints from female employees working as pilots, cabin crew and in other technical areas regarding their harassment by their colleagues/superior officers.

"All the airlines are hereby advised to ensure strict compliance of the Vishakha guidelines. They should also give wide publicity about this committee among the employees to facilitate hassle-free reporting and disposal of matter in accordance with relevant National Regulations," it added.

The aviation regulator also asked the airlines to make employees more aware of the norms under the complaint committee and intimate the action taken on the basis of the directive within two weeks.

The Vishakha guidelines were promulgated by the Supreme Court in 1997 and were superseded in 2013 by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

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