Rules to tackle on-board disruptive and unruly behaviour by passengers
Rules to tackle on-board disruptive and unruly behaviour by passengers
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has unveiled rules to tackle on-board disruptive and unruly behaviour by passengers. This promulgation of the No - Fly List in India is unique and first-of-its-kind in the world. The concept of the No-Fly List is based on the concern for safety of passengers, crew and the aircraft, and not just on security threat.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revised the relevant sections of the Civil Aviation Requirement to bring in a deterrent for passengers who engage in unruly behaviour on board aircrafts. The revision has been done in accordance with the provisions of Tokyo Convention 1963 (Convention on Offences and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft).
The new rules:
Unruly behaviour of passengers at airport premises will be dealt with by relevant security agencies under applicable penal provisions.
The revised CAR will be applicable for all Indian operators engaged in scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services, both domestic and international carriage of passengers.
The CAR would also be applicable to foreign carriers subject to compliance of Tokyo Convention 1963.
The complaint of unruly behaviour would need to be filed by the pilot-in-command. These complaints will be probed by an internal committee to be set up by the airline.
The airlines will be required to share the No-Fly list, and the same will be available on DGCA website. The other airlines will not be bound by the No-Fly list of an airline.
The revised CAR also contains appeal provisions against the ban. Aggrieved persons (other than those identified as security threat by MHA) may appeal within 60 days from the date of issue of order.
The revised CAR defines three categories of unruly behaviour:
i. Level 1 refers to behaviour that is verbally unruly, and calls for debarment upto 3 months;
ii. Level 2 indicates physical unruliness and can lead to the passenger being debarred from flying for upto 6 months and
iii. Level 3 indicates life-threatening behaviour where the debarment would be for a minimum of 2 years.
The focus of the new rules is on ensuring on board safety while maintaining an element of balance and safeguarding the interest of passengers, cabin crew and the airlines.
