On Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s civil aviation authority, fined IndiGo Rs 5 lakh (May 28). The airline was sanctioned for denying boarding to a special-needs youngster at Ranchi airport earlier this month. According to sources, the Hyderabad-bound IndiGo flight abandoned the youngster and their parents at the Ranchi airport on May 7. Following this, a DGCA tribunal decided to give the airline a show-cause notice.
The authorities described the incident as ‘inappropriate passenger handling’. The penalty has now been applied. The incident was condemned by the regulatory body. The DGCA stated that the IndiGo ground staff’s behaviour and care of the youngster were ‘poor,’ exacerbating the situation. It was mentioned, ‘A more empathetic approach might have soothed the child’s anxiety. It would have eliminated the necessity for the severe measure that resulted in the passengers being refused boarding’.
‘Exceptional situations need extraordinary responses, however the airline personnel failed to rise to the occasion and committed lapses,’ the statement continued. Jaiveer Shergill, a spokesman for Congress, applauded the decision. He applauded BJP politician Jyotiraditya Scindia, a former party colleague and now Union Minister of Civil Aviation, for levying the punishment. ‘Good decision by @DGCAIndia @JM Scindia to impose a Rs 5 Lac fine on Indigo for not allowing a child with special needs to board the flight – Concept of ‘no frills’ airline does not & cannot entail callous ‘customer service!’ he tweeted.
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