DGCA slaps show cause notice on Air India for flight delays, passenger discomfort

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday issued a show cause notice to Air India after its two flights were delayed and passengers were put to discomfort due to insufficient cooling in the aircraft.

“It has come to the notice of DGCA that flight Al-179 (Mumbai to San Francisco) dated 24.05.2024 and flight Al-183 (Delhi to San Francisco) dated 30.05.2024 were inordinately delayed and passengers were put to discomfort due to insufficient cooling in the cabin.

"Further, repeated incidences of passengers being put to discomfort by Air India in violation of various DGCA CAR provisions have come to the notice,” read the show cause notice issued by the aviation regulator.

The DGCA also said that the perusal of available information reveals that Air India has violated the provisions of Para 3.4 and Para 3.8 of CAR Section 3, Series M, Part IV on "facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights".

“Air India is time and again failing to take due care of the passengers and compliance of aforementioned CAR. Therefore, Air India is hereby called upon to Show Cause as to why enforcement action shall not be initiated against the airline for the aforesaid violations. The reply of Air India should reach this office within three days from the date of issuance of this notice, failing which, the matter would be processed ex-parte,” it added.

A passenger on Air India's Delhi-San Francisco flight claimed that several people experienced fainting spells inside the aircraft due to lack of cooling after a delay of more than eight hours on Thursday.

According to Shweta Punj, a journalist who shared the incident on X, Flight AI-183 was delayed by more than eight hours on Thursday, with passengers being made to board the plane and endure the discomfort of sitting without proper air-conditioning.