SC directs centre, DGCA to create guidelines for unruly air Passengers
SC directs centre, DGCA to create guidelines for unruly air Passengers
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre and aviation regulator DGCA to develop updated guidelines for managing unruly air passenger behavior. The court emphasized the need for creative solutions to handle such incidents effectively.
The directive came during a hearing of a plea filed by a 73-year-old woman, who alleged that a male co-passenger, under the influence of alcohol, urinated on her during an Air India flight in November 2022. The petitioner urged the authorities to create a standard operating procedure (SOP) for handling such situations.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan shared personal experiences of unruly passengers disrupting flights and highlighted the need for comprehensive measures. Justice Viswanathan recounted an incident involving two intoxicated passengers, where flight crew struggled for 30 minutes to address the situation.
Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre, informed the court that existing guidelines had been reviewed, with updates aligning them to international standards.
The petitioner, however, argued that current measures were inadequate. Her Public Interest Litigation (PIL), filed in March 2023, cited seven incidents of passenger misconduct from 2014 to 2023, alleging that airlines failed to handle such situations properly.
The PIL also raised concerns about speculative media coverage of such cases, which could harm both victims and accused individuals. It called for ensuring civil aviation requirements meet global benchmarks.
In May 2023, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre, DGCA, and airlines, including Air India, to address these concerns. The court has now directed further action to enhance passenger safety and accountability.
