India

NEW DELHI: For the second time within 1.5 years, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fined Air India for not providing mandatory facilities to passengers who are denied boarding or whose flights are delayed/cancelled.

The regulator on Wednesday imposed Rs 10 lakh penalty on AI on this ground for these reasons as well as not compensating business class passengers made to travel on unserviceable seats.

Last June also AI was fined Rs 10 lakh for violating rules for denying boarding and had then ordered it “to immediately put systems in place to resolve the issue.” Clearly the regulator feels the same has not been done.“(We had) carried out inspections at Delhi, Kochi and Bengaluru airports of scheduled domestic operators this May and September to ascertain the discharge of their obligations related to facilities/compensation provided to the passengers as per provisions laid down in DGCA regulations.

During inspection, it was observed Air India was not complying with the provisions of the relevant (rules).

Accordingly, a show cause notice was issued to AI on November 3, 2023, seeking their response for non-compliance to the provisions of the relevant regulations,” a DGCA official said on Wednesday.“Based on the reply submitted by AI, it was found they had not complied with the provisions of the (rules regarding) providing hotel accommodation for passengers affected by delayed flights, non training of some of their ground personnel as per the stipulations laid down and non-payment of compensation to international business class passengers who were made to travel on unserviceable seats.

Accordingly, DGCA has imposed a financial penalty of Rs.10 lakhs on Air India for non- compliance of DGCA regulations,” the official added.DGCA issues notice to Air India again for passenger relief neglectLast July the DGCA had directed AI to synchronise the tickets sold in premium classes with the number of serviceable seats in those cabins and avoid involuntary downgrades to economy.

This directive had come after some passengers who had bought business class on AI to fly from Amritsar to London had to travel economy due to unserviceable seats.

These passengers had even protested at the airport.“In the recent past, a number of business class passengers were downgraded to economy on account of unserviceable seats.

DGCA took note of this and conducted an enquiry.

We have warned AI from booking more business class passengers than serviceable seats available.

Any violation will invite enforcement action,” DGCA sources had said last summer.

The regulator had pointed out to AI that seats not meeting design specifications are not just about comfort but a safety issue too.In its last few years as a cash-strapped government-owned airline, the Maharaja did not have funds to maintain and/or modernise passenger cabins of its aircraft.

As a result, non functional inflight entertainment screens, non-reclining seats, broken armrests and back of seat trays had become common.

Global supply chain constraints have meant replacing the same is taking longer than originally expected under the founder and new owner, Tata Group.





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