 "DGCA slaps Akasa Air with Rs 10 lakh penalty over boarding denial")
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fined Akasa Air Rs 10 lakh for denying boarding to seven passengers on its Bengaluru-Pune flight on September 6 and failing to provide the mandatory compensation.
This is not the airline's first run-in with the regulator. In October, the regulator imposed a Rs 30 lakh fine on Akasa Air for lapses in pilot training.
Earlier this month, the DGCA issued two showcause notices to Akasa Air. The first was for the airline's failure to ensure its director of flight operations revised the operations manual within the mandatory six-month period. The second notice was issued after a spot check at Bengaluru airport in August revealed "poor aircraft maintenance standards" and "lapses."
In an order issued on December 23, the DGCA detailed the incident that occurred at Bengaluru airport on September 6 this year. An Akasa Air Bengaluru-Pune flight, scheduled for an 8:50 pm departure, faced issues when the original aircraft was grounded due to "foreign object" damage.
The replacement aircraft had nine non-operational seats, leading to seven passengers being denied boarding. These passengers were transferred to an IndiGo flight departing at 11:40 pm, more than one hour after their original scheduled departure.
According to DGCA regulations, when passengers are denied boarding and not accommodated within one hour of the scheduled departure, airlines must pay compensation equal to 200 per cent of the booked one-way basic fare plus fuel charge, capped at Rs 10,000, if an alternate flight is arranged within 24 hours. The seven passengers were eligible for this compensation. However, Akasa Air did not compensate these passengers.
When the DGCA raised a deficiency reporting form (DRF) asking the airline to take "corrective" action, Akasa Air claimed the boarding denial was "due to reasons beyond the control of the airline." Therefore, the DGCA closed the DRF and issued a showcause notice. The airline, fearing penalty, then began collecting passengers' bank details for compensation.
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"However, it is viewed that corrective action was initiated by Akasa Air only after the issuance of the show cause notice by this office, which the airline would (should) have done before the closure of the DRF...The above act/omission of Akasa Air amounts to the contravention of the provisions of DGCA regulations," the regulator stated in its order dated December 23, 2024.
The DGCA, therefore, imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on Akasa Air, requiring payment within 30 days. Akasa Air, when asked about the December 23 order, responded: "We acknowledge receipt of an order by the DGCA dated December 23, 2024. We continue to work closely with the DGCA to address this matter and enhance our protocols as required by the regulator.