DGCA fines Air India Rs 30 lakh over failure to provide wheelchair

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has slapped a Rs 30 lakh fine on Air India over two weeks after the death of an 80-year-old passenger at Mumbai Airport.

The octogenarian had decided to walk from the Air India aircraft to the terminal on February 12 after the airline couldn’t provide a wheelchair he had requested. A few minutes later, the American citizen of Indian origin collapsed and died after suffering a heart attack.

Despite having booked two wheelchairs for himself and his wife, only one was available at the plane’s exit gate. His wife took the wheelchair. He preferred to walk alongside her rather than wait for another wheelchair.