Paris-New Delhi flight incidents: DGCA slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on Air India

Aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Air India for not reporting two incidents of unruly passenger behaviour onboard a Paris-New Delhi flight in December last year.

This is the second time in less than a week that the watchdog has taken enforcement action against the airline in connection with unruly passenger behaviour.

In a statement on Tuesday, DGCA said the incidents of passenger misbehaviour occurred on the AI-142 flight from Paris to New Delhi on December 6, 2022.

One drunk passenger was caught smoking in the lavatory and not adhering to the crew instructions, and another passenger allegedly relieved himself on a vacant seat and blanket of a fellow female passenger when she went to the lavatory, it said.

"Enforcement action in the form of a financial penalty of Rs 10,00,000 has been imposed on Air India for not reporting the incident to DGCA and delaying in referring the matter to its Internal Committee, which is a violation of applicable DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements," the statement said.