Aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) on Thursday imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India for not providing a wheelchair to an 80-year-old passenger who collapsed and later died after walking from a plane to the terminal at Mumbai Airport.

The passenger requested the wheelchair, but due to heavy demand, Air India asked the passenger to wait. Instead of waiting, the passenger chose to walk and ultimately collapsed and died during the immigration process.

The “Carriage by Air – Persons with Disability (Divyangjan) and/or Persons with Reduced Mobility” regulations, which include providing wheelchair assistance to those who require it, were violated by Air India after an investigation by the DGCA.

“However, the airline failed to show compliance of the CAR as the airline did not provide any wheelchair to the elderly passenger,” the regulator said. “Further, Air India did not inform about any action taken by the airline against the erring employee(s) and the airline also failed to submit any corrective actions taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.” The official added to the statement after the investigation of the case.

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 during their journey

The official stated

As a result, the DGCA fined Rs 30 lakh and sent a warning to all airlines, focusing on the importance of keeping enough wheelchairs available for passengers who require help.

What is DGCA?

DGCA stands for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. DCGA is a statutory body that keeps an eye on civil air travel in India under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act 2020.