Air India fined Rs 30 lakh over loss of life of 80-year-old flyer who wasn’t given wheelchair

Digital Desk: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fined Air India for their negligence over the 80-year-old passenger's death. The old man has opted to walk from the aircraft to the terminal because of the shortage of wheelchairs. 

A man and his wife were traveling from the US to Mumbai in New York on an Air India flight booked for a wheelchair facility on February 12, but the aircraft couldn’t give them adequate wheelchairs, only one was brought for the couple. The elderly man was asked to wait until the airline could arrange another wheelchair and opted to walk. He walked a long distance where he collapsed and passed away. 

The regulator had issued a show cause notice to the airline for not complying with the provisions of “CAR SECTION 3, SERIES ‘M’, PART 1 on “Carriage by Air- Persons with Disability (Divyang) and/or Persons with Reduced Mobility” which is a violation of Air Craft Rules, 1937.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a notice on February 20 to the DGCA seeking a report in 4 weeks. Air India submitted its response to the notice that the 80-year-old passenger wished to walk along with his wife who was in a wheelchair rather than to wait for another wheelchair. The whole airline was unable to provide him with a wheelchair.

The DGCA later in a press statement said that a penalty of Rs 30 Lakh has been imposed on Air India as per Air Craft Rules 1937, for violating the provisions of CAR SECTION 3.