India: Airline fined Rs500,000 for not allowing specially-abled child to board flight

India's aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday said it has imposed a fine of Rs 500,000 on IndiGo airline for denying boarding to a specially-abled child at Ranchi airport on May 7.

The airline said the boy was denied permission to board the Ranchi-Hyderabad flight as he was visibly in panic. After the boy was prohibited from boarding, his parents also decided not to enter the plane.

The regulator said in order to avoid such situations in the future, it would revisit its own regulations, making it mandatory for airlines to take the airport doctor’s written opinion on the health of a passenger before making a decision to deny boarding.

Moreover, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the new regulations would make sure that there is also a written consultation with the captain of the aircraft for his or her opinion on allowing such a passenger on board.

The DGCA had on May 9 formed a three-member team to investigate the May 7 incident.

The regulator on Saturday said, “It has been observed that the handling of the special child by the Indigo ground staff was deficient and ended up exacerbating the situation.”

A more compassionate handling would have smoothened nerves, calmed the child and obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in the passengers being denied boarding, it mentioned.

Special situations deserve extraordinary responses but the airline’s staff failed to rise up to the occasion, and in the process, committed lapses in adherence to the letter and spirit of the Civil Aviation Requirements (regulations), it noted.

India's Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had on May 9 said on Twitter that no human being should have to go through this and he himself was investigating the Ranchi incident.