Misbehaving inside an aircraft could land you in jail nowTop Stories

September 23, 2014 16:28
Misbehaving inside an aircraft could land you in jail now},{Misbehaving inside an aircraft could land you in jail now

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Defiant passengers, travelers who hurl abuses at flight crew and make for really unpleasant travel companions may find life difficult on board from now on.

Aviation regulator DGCA has tabled a new set of  laws to deal with such flyers with an iron hand. Such rules require passengers to behave or be prepared for unpleasant consequences.

These draft rule comes after the latest Air India incident on a Melbourne-Delhi flight where  a passenger got aggressive after one drink too many and was ultimately tied down to a seat.

In the draft, Civil Aviation Requirements(CAR), the DGCA proposes using restraining devices on such passengers  after peaceful means to control them  fails.

However, the regulator has not specified the  kind of restraining devices to be used . Earlier, airlines have sought permission to carry equipment  like plastic handcuffs on board. In the case of AI's flight, ropes were used to tie the passenger to the seat.

The DGCA has said that passengers must be forewarned about the aftermath of such unruly behaviour through prominent display of information at airport terminal buildings.

It has also asked airlines to devise a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) defining the role of ground staff, flight crew, airline airport manager and airline central operational control to deal with unruly/disruptive passengers while at the airport or on board the aircraft.

Furthermore, airline staff has been asked to keep an eye on and report unruly passengers through careful monitoring  during checkin. In that case, such passengers will be offloaded while the aircraft is on ground.

The draft also mentions that all the passengers must be forewarned that he/she could be arrested in case they endanger the safety of the aircraft, is drunk or found smoking and refuse to obey the commander of the aircraft.

Use of any threatening, abusive or insulting words towards a member of the crew or intentionally interfering with the performance of a crew member could also land one behind the bars.


AW: Suchorita Dutta

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