No-fly list for unruly passengers

No-fly list for unruly passengers

No-fly list has been introduced in India for unruly passengers.

 
No-fly list for unruly passengers

No-fly list has been introduced in India for unruly passengers. Aviation Ministry has stated facts under this list.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation unveiled its first ever guidelines on No-fly list under which passengers can be banned from flying for three months to life time if their behaviour is found unruly while in flight. 10 facts have been stated under this list.

  • Several airlines have been demanding no-fly list of disruptive passengers following an incident in which Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad allegedly hit an Air India staffer with his slipper 25 times over not being given a business class seat in an all-economy plane.
  • The amended Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) or rules on “handling of unruly passengers” announced on Friday by the government come into effect immediately.
  • The no-fly list will be compiled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) based on inputs from various airlines. It will maintain the record of all blacklisted passengers.
  • The quantum of punishment is based on the severity of offence which has been divided into three categories.

*Verbal assault – this includes “unruly physical gestures, verbal harassment and unruly inebriation” which can lead to a ban of upto 3 months.

*Physical assault– the second level is for physically abusive behaviour (pushing, kicking, hitting, inappropriate touching and sexual harassment) with a flying ban of upto 6 months.

*Life threatening behaviour– the last and most serious includes physical violence such as choking, eye gouging, murderous assault and damage to aircraft systems, attempted or actual breach of the flight crew compartment with a ban ranging from 2 years to a lifetime.

*In case a passenger is a repeat offender, the duration of the flying ban will be twice that of his previous ban.

  • The country is the first in the world to have a no-fly list that is based on safety and not just security.
  • The no-fly list will apply only if the incident is inside an aircraft which could adversely affect the safety of the aircraft and its occupants.
  • The rules apply for domestic and international schedules and non-scheduled (chartered)air transport services, all Indian airports as well as passengers flying into and over India. International airlines will have to conform to these rules as per the Tokyo Convention 1963.
  • How it will work:

*The pilot in command of an aeroplane can report an incident involving and unruly passenger and the matter will be investigated by an internal committee of the airlines concerned within 30 days.

*If the probe is not concluded within the time-frame, the passenger will be “free to fly”.

*However, the airline “may” impose a ban while it is probing the matter for a period not exceeding 30 days.

  • Other domestic carriers “will not be bound by the no-fly list of an airline”, implying that they are free to decide whether or not to bar a passenger already banned by one of the airlines for his/her misconduct.
  • A passenger barred from flying can approach an appellate committee constituted by the ministry within a period of 60 days. The decision of the committee will be final but if the appellant is dissatisfied he or she can approach the high court.

(Facts copied from indiatimes.com)

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