Air India
'Devoid of empathy': DGCA slams Air India over 'Pee-Gate'
New Delhi/IBNS: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has strongly disapproved of Air India's handling of a Mumbai man urinating on a woman passenger on a flight last year and walking away without facing action, calling the airline's conduct as "unprofessional" that led to "systemic failure".
The DGCA has issued notice to some officials of the Tata Group-owned airline, the pilot of the flight and the crew, asking them to reply within two weeks.
On Nov 26, Mumbai businessman Shankar Mishra allegedly unzipped and urinated on an elderly woman in the business class of an Air India flight from New York to Delhi.
To everyone's shock, when the flight landed, Shankar Mishra was allowed to leave without any repercussions.
Air India didn't complain to the police until this week, only after the woman's letter to the group chairman of Air India, N Chandrasekaran, surfaced.
"... it emerges that provisions related to the handling of an unruly passenger on-board have not been complied with," the DGCA said in a statement.
"The conduct of the concerned airline appears to be unprofessional and has led to a systemic failure."
"Prima facie it lacks appreciation of regulatory obligations as described in applicable Aircraft Rules 1937, Civil Aviation Requirements on 'Handling of Unruly Passengers', Cabin Safety Circular, Air India Operations Manual, Air India Safety and Emergency Procedure Manual and Air India Quick Reference Handbook and is devoid of empathy," the statement added.
The offender has been banned from flying on Air India for 30 days, pending a report from its Internal Committee.
The airline said as there was "no further flare-up or confrontation", and "respecting the perceived wishes of the female passenger, the crew elected not to summon law enforcement upon landing".
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