Air India passenger misbehaviour: DGCA issues show cause notice after one smoked in lavatory another peed on a woman's blanket

The aviation regulator DGCA on Monday announced that it had sent Air India a show-cause notice for two instances of unruly behaviour on a trip from Paris to New Delhi last month. One incidence was an inebriated passenger who was found smoking in the restroom while paying no attention to the crew. According to DGCA, the second incident involved a man who allegedly peed on an unoccupied seat and a fellow female passenger's blanket while she was using the restroom. Both incidents happened on the Paris-New Delhi flight on December 6, 2022.


"Air India didn't report the incident until DGCA sought the incident report from them on 05.01.2023. After perusal of the reply submitted by Air India through email dated 06.01.2023, prima facie it emerges that provisions related to handling of an unruly passenger... have not been complied with. It has been noted that the response of the airline has been lackadaisical and delayed," the regulator said in a statement.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to the accountable manager of Air India as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations.

"However, to follow the principles of natural justice, they have been given two weeks time to submit their reply to DGCA and based on that further action will be taken," the statement said.