New Delhi: In a major setback to Air India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday issued a show-cause notice to Air India after an 80-year-old passenger died at the Mumbai airport following a delay in wheelchair service availability. The DGCA has asked the airline to submit a report on the incident within a week.
The show-cause notice to the Tata-backed Air India comes after an incident occurred on Monday when the 80-year-old man arrived from New York on an Air India flight with his wife. According to the media reports, the elderly man of Indian origin with a US passport reportedly pre-booked the wheelchair facility for himself and his wife while getting the Air India tickets. However, due to a wheelchair shortage, only one assistant from the airline showed up for the couple.
While the man's wife reportedly sat in the wheelchair, he decided to follow her on foot. Reports also claimed that the man walked for over a km and later died mid-way due to a heart attack. "Accordingly, a show cause notice has been issued to Air India for not complying with the provisions of the said CAR in violation of Aircraft Rules, 1937, and submit a reply to the DGCA within seven days of the issue of the notice", said the DGCA in a statement.
Furthermore, an advisory has also been issued to all airlines to ensure that an adequate number of wheelchairs are available for passengers, who require assistance during embarking or disembarking from the aircraft.
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