Airlines can’t deny boarding over ‘disability’, need medical opinion: DGCA

STATING THAT airlines cannot deny boarding to “any person on the basis of disability”, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said that if an airline feels the passenger’s health is likely to deteriorate during the flight, it must consult a doctor at the airport and then take an “appropriate decision”.

In a statement on Friday, the DGCA said it has amended its regulations to improve accessibility of boarding and flying for the specially-abled. The move, which was originally proposed on June 3, comes in the backdrop of the incident at the Ranchi airport in May, when IndiGo did not allow a specially-abled child to board its Hyderabad-bound flight, citing potential threat to air safety.