Ministry of Civil Aviation Issues Draft CAR on Handling of unruly and disruptive passengers

The Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju and MoS Shri Jayant Singh briefed media today with regard to handling of unruly passengers. They informed that the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on Handling of unruly/disruptive passengers is being revised to enhance the safety and security of passengers, crew as well as airlines. During the press conference the Secretary for Civil Aviation Shri R.N. Choubey gave details of the draft CAR.

Main features of the proposed CAR are as follows:

a) Three levels of unruly behaviors defined viz. Level 1 - disruptive behavior, Level 2 - physically abusive behavior and Level 3 - Life- threatening behavior.

b) The Airlines will maintain a database of such passengers which will form a National No-fly List of unruly/disruptive passengers. Individuals identified by MHA as national security threats will also form part of the National No-Fly List. Such names will be forwarded to the individuals by the airlines indicating the reasons for inclusion of their names in the National NO-Fly List.

c) For passengers indicated in the National No-Fly List, airlines will have option to bar the unruly passenger from taking flights to/form/within India for a period ranging from 03 months to a maximum of two years depending upon level of unruly behavior. For every subsequent offence, the person will be banned for twice the period of previous ban.

d) Provides for two tiers of complaint handling mechanism in such cases, viz. initial inquiry at airlines level by an internal committee headed by a retired Distict & Sessions Judge and an appeal at Govt. headed by Retired Judge of a High Court of India

The Secretary informed that other Airlines as well as International Airlines were free to take cognizance of No Fly List and extend ban to the concerned individual or group of individuals. However individuals in No Fly List identified by security agencies would have no right to appeal.

The Secretary informed the media that after placing the draft on public domain and getting responses and suggestions, the Ministry is confident that the matter would be finalized by the end of June, 2017.

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