New Delhi (India), May 8, 2023: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Indian Government and other concerned parties in response to a plea seeking directions to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and all airlines to establish mandatory Statement of Purpose (SOP) and zero tolerance rules for dealing with unruly passengers and onboard misconduct.
The plea was filed by a 72-year-old woman who was subjected to a distressing incident aboard an Air India flight from New York to Delhi on November 26, 2022, when an intoxicated passenger urinated on her. The apex court has scheduled the hearing for July 2023 and has sought the assistance of the solicitor general in the matter.
In her letter to Tata Group Chairman N Chandrashekaran, the woman described the appalling incident and lamented the lack of adequate action taken by the airline. The Supreme Court has responded to her plea by agreeing to direct the DGCA and airlines to formulate SOPs to address such incidents. The shocking incident involving Shankar Mishra, the vice president of Wells Fargo’s India chapter, led to his termination from his job.
This incident, which came to light in January 2023, has exposed a disturbing trend of unruly and intoxicated passengers engaging in similar acts of misconduct on flights. Subsequent reports have surfaced, including one about an Indian man urinating on another passenger during a New York to New Delhi American Airlines flight. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) apprehended the alleged “unruly” passenger upon the plane’s arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The Supreme Court’s notice underscores the urgency of addressing the issue of unruly behavior on flights, prompting airlines and the DGCA to take immediate action to ensure the safety and well-being of passengers.
