New Delhi: India’s aviation regulatory body has formed a three-member fact-finding team to look into why a special needs boy was not allowed to board an IndiGo flight in Ranchi on Sunday.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the airlines had submitted a report on the incident.
The DGCA also said its team would go to Ranchi and Hyderabad – where the adolescent boy and his family stay — to investigate the matter. The aviation body said the team would take a week to submit the report following which it would take further action.
IndiGo faced criticism Sunday after it stopped the specially-abled boy from boarding a flight at the Ranchi airport.
The airlines later issued a statement saying: “In view of the safety of passengers, a specially-abled child could not board the flight with his family on May 07 as he was in a state of panic. The ground staff waited for him to calm down till the last minute but to no avail.”
“The airline made the family comfortable by providing them with a hotel stay, the family flew this morning to their destination. IndiGo prides itself on being an inclusive organisation, be it for employees or customers; and over 75k specially-abled passengers fly with IndiGo every month.”
On Monday, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said he would personally investigate the incident. He tweeted: “There is zero tolerance towards such behaviour. No human being should have to go through this! Investigating the matter by myself, post which appropriate action will be taken.”
There is zero tolerance towards such behaviour. No human being should have to go through this! Investigating the matter by myself, post which appropriate action will be taken. https://t.co/GJkeQcQ9iW
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) May 9, 2022
Also read: IndiGo bars specially-abled child from boarding plane at Ranchi airport