Air India to pay ₹30 lakh for the death due to lack of wheelchairs

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a penalty of ₹30 lakh on Air India in response to a tragic incident at Mumbai International Airport, where an 80-year-old passenger collapsed and died after the airline failed to provide necessary wheelchair assistance.

The penalty stems from Air India's violation of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) rules. The incident, which unfolded on February 12, sparked widespread concern and scrutiny. The elderly passenger, accompanied by his wife on an Air India flight from New York to Mumbai, had requested wheelchair assistance upon arrival.

However, owing to a reported shortage of wheelchairs, only one was made available. This left the passenger to navigate immigration alongside his spouse, despite facing health issues. Tragically, as they approached the immigration area, the elderly passenger suffered a heart attack and collapsed. Despite immediate medical attention, he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at Nanavati Hospital.

In the aftermath of the incident, a series of investigations and interventions ensued. Initially, on February 16, the DGCA called upon Air India to furnish a detailed report on the circumstances surrounding the passenger's demise. Subsequently, on February 20, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognizance of the incident, issuing a notice to the DGCA for a comprehensive report within four weeks.

The DGCA said the matter was examined and a Show Cause Notice was issued to Air India for not complying with the provisions of the CAR SECTION 3, SERIES ‘M’, PART I on “Carriage by Air - Persons with Disability (Divyangjan) and/or Persons with Reduced Mobility” which is a violation of Aircraft Rules, 1937.

In its response, dated February 20, 2024, Air India stated that the elderly passenger opted to walk alongside his wheelchair-bound wife instead of waiting for an additional wheelchair.

As per DGCA, despite this explanation, the airline's failure to provide a wheelchair to the elderly passenger constituted a violation of CAR. Moreover, Air India did not disclose any disciplinary actions taken against the responsible employee(s) nor did it provide details of corrective measures implemented to prevent similar incidents.

For now, the DGCA has issued an advisory to all airlines to ensure that an adequate number of wheelchairs are available for passengers who require assistance during embarking or disembarking from the aircraft during their journey.

: DGCA directs Air India to submit report after passenger dies amid wheelchair backlog at Mumbai airport