Vistara passenger 'molested' air hostess in Lucknow-Delhi flight; arrested

Vistara also informed that it is 'fully committed to providing cooperation to all the authorities' probing the case

In a shocking incident, a 62-year-old passenger allegedly molested a cabin crew member of Air Vistara. A Vistara spokesperson said: “A member of our cabin crew operating flight number UK 997 from Lucknow to Delhi on March 24, 2018, reported an incident of sexual harassment by a passenger. Vistara does not tolerate abusive or unruly behaviour by passengers that puts the safety of its staff and other customers at risk, or compromises their dignity. We have reported the matter to the police and other relevant authorities."

Accused Rajeev Vasant Dani was arrested by the Delhi police from the airport itself after the complaint was lodged.

 

Vistara also informed that it was "fully committed to providing cooperation to all the authorities" probing the case.

 

The accused passenger was arrested earlier in the day, after an FIR was registered in Delhi.

 

Here are some of the key updates related to the case involving a 62-year-old passenger allegedly molesting an Air Vistara crew member: 

 

1. No-fly list: The 62-year-old Pune resident might be the first person to be recommended by an airline to be put on the recently enforced no-fly list (NFL).

 

2. Implications: A person may be grounded for up to three months for “unruly physical gestures” and up to six months for inappropriate touching.

 

Sources say the alleged harassment took place when the plane landed in Delhi and passengers were about to alight from the aircraft. “The air hostess, who hails from Meghalaya, was touched inappropriately by the accused more than once. She reported the matter to her seniors and some passengers also saw this disgraceful act,” the Times of India quoted unnamed sources as saying.

 

3. Others who have been grounded: Last year — before the NFL was in force — when two MPs, Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Gaikwad assaulted an Air India staffer inside an aircraft and later TDP’s Diwakar Reddy threatened IndiGo ground staff at Vizag airport, all airlines grounded them for some time.

 

4. Process for adding someone to the no-fly list: The system for implementing NFL is that the pilot-in-command or captain of the plane on which an unruly behaviour took place has to file a complaint with the airline. The carrier concerned sets up an internal committee to examine the complaint and decide the matter in 30 days along with the duration of ban on the unruly passenger.

 

5. What happens if a flyer is put on no-fly list: Once a person is put on the NFL by an airline, other carriers can also decide on banning him or her from flying. However, the decision by one airline’s NFL will not be mandatory on other carriers.

Here are the new rules regarding unruly behaviour: 

 

1) Instances of unruly behaviour will be defined under three categories. Level 1 will be disruptive behaviour like physical gestures etc. Level 2 will be physically abusive behaviour like pushing, kicking, sexual harassment etc. Level 3 for life threatening behaviour. 

 

2) Punishment for unruly behaviour will also fall under three categories. The 1st category is 3 months suspension. The punishment for level 2 offences will be 6 months and that for level 3 offences will be 2 years or more. 

 

3) Airline can ban the passenger from flying immediately but the passenger won’t come on national no-fly list immediately. 

 

4) Punishment of suspension for unruly behaviour applies to domestic carriers, if international carriers want this option they can use it too.

 

5) For every subsequent offence, the concerned individual will be barred for twice the period of the previous ban.

With Agency inputs