DGCA Issues Advisory To Airlines For Strictly Dealing With Unruly Passengers

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India's aviation regulator DGCA has issued an advisory to airlines asking them to strictly deal with the unruly passengers, reiterating the existing provisions in place. The Directorate General Of Civil Aviation said it's the responsibilities of pilots, cabin crew members and the director of inflight services mentioned in the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) for action against such passengers. In an advisory, DGCA said there are provisions under the CAR for action to be taken by the airline to deal with unruly passengers. The advisory comes against the backdrop of rising incidents of unruly passengers onboard flights, reported PTI.

In fact, on the very day DGCA issued guidelines, a 25-year-old male passenger was deboarded by Air India from a Delhi-London flight for causing physical harm to two cabin crew members. There has been a rise in the unruly passenger behaviour in the past few months and DGCA said they have noticed a few incidents such as smoking in aircraft, consumption of alcoholic beverages resulting in altercations between passengers.

Further, DGCA said they also noticed inappropriate touching or sexual harassment by the passengers onboard an aircraft during the flight, wherein "post holders, pilots and cabin crew members have failed to take appropriate actions". Recently, Swati Maliwal, Chairperson Of Delhi Commission for Women, wrote to DGCA for updating its guidelines on unruly passenger behaviour, resulting sexual assault.  

"Such incidents have potential of compromising the safety of aircraft operations," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. The watchdog has advised the heads of operations of all airlines to sensitise their pilots, cabin crew and post holders on handling of unruly passengers through appropriate means.

The measures can be "but not limited to training programme for ensuring effective monitoring, maintenance of good order and discipline on board the aircraft so that safety of aircraft operations is not jeopardised in any manner," the advisory said.

Levels of Unruly Behaviour

DGCA regulations provide for classifying unruly passenger behaviour into three levels and such people can face flying ban for varying periods. Unruly behaviour such as physical gestures, verbal harassment and unruly inebriation are classified as Level 1 while physically abusive behaviour like pushing, kicking or sexual harassment will be classified as Level 2.

Life threatening behaviour such as damage to aircraft operating systems, physical violence like choking and murderous assault will be considered as Level 3. Depending on the level of unruly behaviour, an internal committee set up by the airline concerned can decide on the duration for which an unruly passenger can be banned from flying.