 "Cursed at cabin crew or too drunk on a flight? Soon you could get arrested for that")
Unruly passengers, people who scream obscenities at flight crew and those who are really unpleasant travel companions may find life has become tougher on board. Aviation regulator DGCA has proposed a set of norms to deal with such flyers. These draft rule have been framed after the latest incident on an Air India Melbourne-Delhi flight where an unruly passenger became violent after one drink too many and had to be ultimately tied down to a seat.
In the draft Civil Aviation Requirements(CAR), the DGCA has proposed that restraning devices should be used on such passengers only after peaceful means of restraining them have failed. But the regulator has not specified what kind of restraining devices may be used despite airlines earlier seeking permission to carry equipment such as plastic handcuffs on board. Media reports suggested that in the case of AI’s flight, ropes already on board were used to tie the passenger to a seat.
The DGCA has also said that passengers should be forewarned about consequences of unruly behaviour through prominent display of information at airport terminal buildings.
For airlines, the regulator has suggested that they devise a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) defining the role of ground staff, flight crew, airline airport manager and airline central operational control to deal with unruly/disruptive passengers while at the airport or on board the aircraft. Also, airline staff has been asked to observe and report unruly passengers through careful monitoring at various points such as checkin, before they board the aircrafrt. If necessary, such passengers should be offloaded while the aircraft is on ground.
The draft CAR also says every passenger should be informed that he/she could be arrested in case he/she is in any way endangering the safety of the aircraft, is drunk or found smoking and refuses to obey the commander of the aircraft. Also, use of any threatening, abusive or insulting words towards a member of the crew or intentionally interfering with the performance of a crew member could also lead to arrest.
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