IndiGo inappropriately handled child with special needs: DGCA
The findings of the committee prima facie indicate inappropriate handling of passengers by the IndiGo staff thereby resulting in certain non-conformances with applicable regulations
PremiumNEW DELHI: A fact finding committee set up by he Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to probe IndiGo for denying boarding to a differently abled child earlier this month has found the airline to be at fault for not complying with regulations.
As a result, the civil aviation regulator has issued a show cause notice to the airline, which now has to explain to the regulator why it didn’t take suitable action against those not complying with regulations.
“The findings of the committee prima facie indicate inappropriate handling of passengers by the IndiGo staff thereby resulting in certain non-conformances with the applicable regulations," the regulator said in a statement on Monday.
“To meet the ends of justice, the airline has been provided an opportunity for personal hearing as well as for making written submissions in (the) next ten days from today i.e. till 26th of May 2022. After hearing their submissions, appropriate action as per law would be taken."
On 7 May, InterGlobe Aviation Limited-operated IndiGo, India's largest airline, denied boarding a differently abled child on a Hyderabad-bound flight at Ranchi airport.
The issue was investigated by the civil aviation regulator after the incident created a furore on social media. Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had ordered a probe into the incident.
“There is zero tolerance towards such behaviour. No human being should have to go through this! Investigating the matter by myself, post which appropriate action will be taken," Scindia had said on social media platform Twitter on 9 May.
The airline, however, has so far refused to acknowledge its mistakes.
IndiGo’s chief executive Dutta had after the incident said that his airline had made the best possible decision under difficult circumstances.
IndiGo has maintained that the airline followed DGCA guidelines when they denied the differently abled child from boarding the flight.
On Monday, after the DGCA pulled up IndiGo for not complying with regulations, a spokesperson of the airline said, “We have received the communication from DGCA on the matter and will respond in due course."
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