Directorate Basic of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 30 lakhs on Air India after an incident of non-availability of a wheelchair to an 80-year-old passenger who collapsed and died after strolling from the plane to the airport terminal at Mumbai, stated the official on Thursday. The event comes days after stories surfaced that an aged man died on the Mumbai airport after he was refused a wheelchair regardless of prior request to an airline and compelled to stroll.
NHRC discover to DGCA over demise
Earlier on February 20, the Nationwide Human Rights Fee (NHRC) despatched a discover to the DGCA over the demise of the air passenger. In response to the media stories, the US-based Indian-origin man collapsed after strolling for about 1.5 km on the way in which to the immigration space. He was strolling alongside his spouse, who was in a wheelchair.
The Human rights physique stated in a press release, that the aged couple was travelling from New York to India, including it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that an 80-year-old man died on the Mumbai airport as he needed to stroll when not supplied with a wheelchair regardless of prior request to the airline.
The Fee noticed that the content material of the media report, if true, raises a critical challenge of violation of human rights of the sufferer. It has requested the DGCA for a element report in 4 weeks. It ought to embrace the standing of compensation if any, supplied to the following of kin of the deceased, the assertion stated.
“There was a major improve within the variety of air passengers in addition to the airfare, however the usual of services would not appear to have improved proportionately leading to a number of complaints reported within the media and posted on social media,” the Fee noticed.
“In response to the media report, there have been 32 wheelchair passengers on the actual flight however there have been solely 15 obtainable with accompanying employees on the bottom to assist them. The spouse sat within the wheelchair whereas the husband adopted her on foot and collapsed after a while. The aged couple was travelling from New York to India,” it stated.
(With companies inputs)
