Govt plans to introduce national no-fly list for unruly passengers after Gaikwad controversy

The government is planning to put in place a “national no-fly list” for unruly passengers after the case of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulting an Air India staffer onboard a plane.

The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) are being amended by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to facilitate such a list, the ministry of civil aviation said in a letter to Air India CMD, making an appeal to him to lift the ban on Gaikwad.

“In order to deal with unruly passengers in a more effective manner in future, an amendment to CAR is being drafted by the DGCA in consultation with this Ministry for establishing a national no-fly list,” the letter said.

The no-fly list was first mooted by Air India on the day Ravindra Gaikwad hit 62-year-old R Sukumar with his slipper “25” times. Air India had said that they were “examining” such a list.

Also read: AI lifts fly ban on Shiv Sena MP Gaikwad after receiving letter from aviation ministry

The following day, the Federation of Indian Airlines, which has Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir as its members, while announcing a flying ban on Gaikwad also proposed “the promulgation of a no-fly list which shall include the names of all unruly passengers.”

IndiGo President and Whole Time Director Aditya Ghosh had also told PTI, “We will support a no-fly list.”

According to the global aviation body, International Air Transport Association (IATA), “unruly passengers” are one of the top three safety issues that concern cabin crew.

As per the IATA, in 2015, there were 10,854 reported cases of unruly behaviour by the passengers across airlines worldwide, which translate into one incident for every 1,205 flights.

Also read: Gaikwad fly ban: Shiv Sena MP voices regret in a letter, no reaction from Air India yet