GURUGRAM- In 2023, Air India (AI) and Vistara (UK) collectively added 93 passengers to the no-fly lists due to instances of unruly in-flight behavior.
This constituted more than 90 percent of all cases placed on the no-fly list last year, according to data from the Country’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and flagged by Hindu Businessline.
Air India Vistara No-Fly-List Passengers
The DGCA established rules for handling unruly passengers in September 2017, responding to an incident involving then Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulting an Air India employee with slippers over a business class seat dispute on a Pune-Delhi flight.
From 2017 to 2022, domestic airlines implemented collective bans on 140 passengers for varying durations. Notably, Air India did not impose any bans under these rules during those five years. However, there appears to be a notable shift in Air India’s approach to safety following the “peegate” incident in November 2022.
The airline came under criticism for its management of an incident involving onboard urination during a New York-Delhi flight, leading to a regulatory fine of ₹30 lakh and a three-month suspension for the pilot.
The case is currently under legal consideration. While Air India added 71 passengers to its no-fly list, Vistara imposed bans on 22 individuals in 2023. Akasa Air (QP) and IndiGo Airlines (6E) included 14 and one passenger, respectively, on their no-fly lists, as per data obtained through the Right to Information Act 2005.
“Air rage and unruly passengers pose a significant challenge, and airlines must address them seriously and press charges against disruptive behavior,” commented aviation expert and lawyer Sanjay Lazar. He further emphasized that the legal system should balance passenger rights and adherence to due process.
2017 Unruly Passengers Rule
The 2017 regulation categorizes unruly incidents into three levels based on their severity, outlining procedures for airlines to address disruptive behavior. This includes establishing a three-member committee to assess and implement bans on disruptive passengers.
Industry sources indicate that a majority of incidents fall into level 1 (verbal abuse, lewd gestures) or level 2 (physically abusive behavior, sexual harassment), while level 3 encompasses more serious acts like causing damage to the aircraft or engaging in murderous assault.
In response to these incidents, an Air India crew member explained, “There are instances when passengers express dissatisfaction with the service or have altercations with fellow passengers. Our responsibility is to pacify such passengers and manage the situation. If possible, we rearrange their seating. We need to be assertive and caution passengers about unacceptable behavior. Unlike in the past, minor altercations among passengers are no longer left unreported; we now submit safety reports for all such incidents.”
Another crew member emphasized, “We maintain neutrality in such matters and simply document them.” An executive stated that Air India takes unruly passenger behavior seriously, supporting crew members in reporting such incidents.
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