NEW DELHI: Days after the budget air carrier IndiGo refused to board a child with special needs, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday in its probe found that the airlines โhandled the passenger inappropriatelyโ thereby resulting in certain non-conformances with the applicable regulations.
It also issued a show-cause notice to the airline to explain why suitable enforcement action should not be taken against them for the non-conformances.
In a detailed statement, the DGCA said, a fact-finding enquiry was ordered by it into the unfortunate event of denied boarding to a special child along with the family at Ranchi Airport by IndiGo on May 7 this year.
It said that the committee has submitted its report and the proceedings of the committee were partly held in the open and partly in-camera as per the request of the affected family.
โThe findings of the committee prima facie indicate inappropriate handling of passengers by the IndiGo staff thereby resulting in certain non-conformances with the applicable regulations,โ it said.
โIn view of this, it has been decided to issue a show-cause notice to the concerned airline through its authorized representative to explain as to why suitable enforcement action should not be taken against them for the non-conformances,โ it said.
It further said that to meet the ends of justice, the airline has been provided with an opportunity for a personal hearing as well as for making written submissions in the next 10 days from today till May 26.
โAfter hearing their submissions, appropriate action as per law would be taken,โ it added.
Meanwhile, an IndiGo spokesperson said in a statement, โWe have received the communication from DGCA on the matter and will respond in due course.โ
The staff of the IndiGo allegedly denied boarding to a specially-abled child on a Hyderabad-bound flight at the Ranchi airport.
