DGCA Imposes Rs 30 Lakh Fine on Air India in Urination Case, Suspends Pilot
On Thursday, Air India imposed a four-month flying ban on Mishra, who is currently in jail.
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India's aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday, 20 January, said it has imposed a penalty of Rs 30 lakh on Air India as well as suspended the license of the pilot-in-command of the New York-Delhi flight in which a person allegedly urinated on a female co-passenger.
What's more: The DGCA has also slapped a fine of Rs 3 lakh on Air India's Director of in-flight services for failing to discharge her duties.
The enforcement actions for violation of applicable norms come nearly two months after the incident, which took place on 26 November. It had come to the notice of the DGCA only on 4 January.
Action against the accused: On Thursday, Air India imposed a four-month flying ban on Mishra, who is currently in jail. Earlier, the airline had barred him from flying for 30 days.
Fine and pilot's license suspension: A "financial penalty of Rs 30,00,000 has been imposed on Air India for violation of applicable DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR)," the regulator said.
The watchdog added that the license of the pilot-in-command of the said flight has been suspended for three months for failing to discharge his duties as per Rule 141 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and applicable DGCA CAR.
What has Air India said? An Air India spokesperson said, "We are studying DGCA's order. We acknowledge gaps in our reporting and are taking relevant steps to ensure that they are addressed. We are also strengthening our crews' awareness of and compliance with policies on handling of incidents involving unruly passengers," news agency ANI reported.
The incident: Shankar Mishra, now a former Wells Fargo employee, had allegedly urinated on a 70-year-old woman, while under the influence of alcohol, on board the Air India AI-102 flight from New York to Delhi in November.
Mishra was arrested in Bengaluru by the Delhi Police late on Friday night, 6 January.
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