“An Air India Express staff member was assaulted by a passenger at Mumbai Airport over a priority boarding dispute. The incident, which led to the passenger’s arrest, highlights strict DGCA guidelines on unruly behavior and the airline’s zero-tolerance policy for such actions.”
In one such shocking incident at Mumbai Airport on September 1, an Air India Express staff member was allegedly assaulted by a woman passenger over some dispute pertaining to priority boarding. The altercation quickly escalated, leading to the arrest of the passenger by airport authorities. This incident places the growing unruly passenger behavior in sharp focus again and the daunting tasks set out for the airline staff to ensure safety and well-being for all the passengers.
Air India Express Staff Attacked Over Dispute About Boarding
The incident involved a woman passenger who, over a disagreement in the delay with the boarding of passengers, became hostile and abusive against an Air India Express ground staff. It rapidly escalated into an altercation wherein the passenger allegedly assaulted the staff, prompting intervention by the Central Industrial Security Force.
In a statement, Air India Express stated that during the routine procedures, being asked to wait for another traveler to complete the check-in process enraged the passenger to lash out. The airline Duty Manager immediately alerted the security forces and following the Standard Operating Procedures, the unruly passenger was handed over to the police.
Mumbai Airport Assault Case: Strict Actions Taken
The above incident of Mumbai airport assault is a grim reminder of the harrowing experiences that the airport staff face with unruly passengers. Air India Express has, meanwhile, made it clear that any act compromising the safety and well-being of its customers and staff will not be tolerated. The spokesperson for the airline said that action against such fliers was viewed seriously and dealt with strictly according to law.
DGCA Guidelines on Unruly Passenger Behaviour
The DGCA has clear guidelines on the disposition of disruptive passenger behavior within the Indian aviation ecosystem. According to the CAR provided by the DGCA, there are levels of offenses wherein the act of physical aggression comes under a Level 2 offense. Regarding this assault at the airport, the consequences for the passenger can go all the way to being put on a No-Fly list.
Passenger Consequences for Assaulting Airport Staff
Legal consequences: The passenger may even be booked under various sections of the IPC along with any other criminal law of the land. Airlines can ban him/her immediately on the spot for a duration of 30 days. Other airlines may ban the passenger, too, depending on the severity of the incident as per the carriage mentioned in the DGCA.
This incident just goes to show how much we have to respect the protocols and be well-behaved with airlines staff trying their best to ensure the journey is without inconvenience for other passengers. The promptness by Air India Express, with regard to this unfortunate event, sends out a severe signal on taking measures that protect all passengers and crew from disruptive behaviour.
