In a late-night meeting, Union Minister of Civil Aviation's Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed ministry officials after a recent video that went viral on social media of passengers eating food on the tarmac at Mumbai Airport. The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation's Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) subsequently issued show cause notices to both IndiGo and Mumbai Airport.
Both Indigo and Mumbai airport were not proactive in anticipating the situation and making the appropriate facilitation arrangements for passengers at the airport," the notice said.
The notice further mentioned, "The aircraft was allotted a remote bay C-33 (instead of a Contact Stand - an aircraft parking stand that is suitable for walking passengers to and from an aircraft from an allocated boarding gate), which further added to passenger woes and deprived them the opportunity to avail basic facilities like rest rooms and refreshments at the terminal.”
This led to an undesirable and unacceptable experience for fatigued and distressed passengers. The flight operation was organized and carried out without considering passenger convenience, established security norms, and operational concerns, as stated in the provided statement.
The incident occurred after flight 6E2195, bound for Delhi, was diverted to Mumbai due to extensive flight disruptions at Delhi airport caused by dense fog. Originally scheduled for a 09:15 am departure on Sunday, the flight didn't take off until the evening, eventually landing in Mumbai at 05:12 am on Monday.
IndiGo, in violation of Rule 51 of the Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023, allowed passengers to disembark onto the apron without following security screening procedures. The airline then boarded them onto another flight without adhering to necessary protocols, leading to a breach of aviation security procedures.
Following BCAS rules, once passengers are deboarded, they are expected to reach the arrival area and clear Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security checks to access the boarding area of the terminal. The incident, not reported to BCAS by the aircraft operator, is deemed a violation of Rule 51 of the Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023, according to MoCA.
Mumbai Airport also received a show cause notice for failing to report the incident promptly, violating Rule 51 of the Aircraft (Security) Rules, 2023. The Airport Security Group (ASG) of Mumbai was not pre-informed about the situation, as per the Ministry's statement.
Both IndiGo and Mumbai Airport are required to respond to the notices by January 16, 2024. The Ministry warned that if replies are not received in the given time, enforcement actions, including financial penalties, will be initiated.
IndiGo, responding to the notice, stated that they have initiated an internal inquiry and will address the issue following the established protocol.
The Airline responded, "We are aware of the incident involving IndiGo flight 6E2195 from Goa to Delhi on January 14, 2024. The flight was diverted to Mumbai due to low visibility conditions in Delhi. We sincerely apologise to our customers and are currently looking into the incident. We will take necessary steps to avoid any such instances in the future,"
In response to criticism for flight delays and mismanagement, the airline said it was due to "operational reasons" beyond its control. The statement expressed regret for any inconvenience caused, emphasizing that disrupting travel plans is not the airline's intent.
IndiGo operated over 2,000 flights per day, covering 86 domestic and 32 international destinations until November. In the first half of FY24, it reported a net profit of over Rs 3,000 crore, securing the sixth position in global market capitalization with a market value of $13.80 billion.
Meanwhile, Mumbai airport clarified, the flight delay was due to "unfavorable weather conditions." The statement further explained that, in coordination with security forces, airport operators cordoned off passengers into a safety zone. Despite passengers declining to board the airline coach and proceed to the terminal building, they were closely monitored by airline authorities and security until further actions were taken, as specified in the statement.
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