DGCA issues show-cause notice to Go First for leaving behind 55 passengers

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to Go First for leaving behind 55 Delhi-bound checked-in passengers in a coach at Bengaluru airport on Monday.

Go First flight (G8 116) to Delhi took off on Monday without these passengers, prompting complaints and a regulatory probe.

On Tuesday, the DGCA said that multiple mistakes such as lack of proper communication, coordination, reconciliation and confirmation resulted in a highly-avoidable situation. Go First has been given two weeks to explain its side.

While the passengers were left behind at Bengaluru, their bags were not offloaded from the aircraft as per standard operating procedures.

“This is a serious security breach,” said DGCA’s retired joint director general A K Chopra.

DGCA said that it is an airline’s responsibility to ensure proper ground handling, preparation of load and trim sheet. An airline also has to ensure that the staff members are trained in soft skills of dealing with passengers.

The regulator said that prima facie Go First failed to comply with various regulations.

According to industry executives, airport staff prepare a load and trim sheet after completion of passenger check-in. This is corrected or revised after boarding in case any passenger fails to report at the boarding gate. The sheet has a count of passengers and cargo load, among other things, and helps pilots prepare for take off. A ground staff member also informs the cabin crew and pilots that all passengers have boarded before closure of the aircraft door.

On Monday, the Delhi-bound passengers were being transported in four coaches. The ground staff members, who carried the load and trim sheet boarded the fourth coach. They reached the aircraft before the arrival of the third coach that had got stuck on the way. Thus, the pilots and crew were informed that all passengers were on board. However, in reality, 55 of them remained stuck in the bus.

The crew on board may also be questioned why they failed to notice that 55 passengers were not there.

In a statement, Go First said that the incident was caused due to inadvertent oversight in reconciliation.

Passengers were accommodated on alternative airlines to Delhi and onward destinations.

The airline has also offered affected passengers one free ticket for travel within India in the next 12 months. It has derostered all the concerned staff members pending inquiry.