The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Friday imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Go First airline for leaving 55 passengers stranded in a bus on the tarmac earlier this month, PTI reported.

The incident had taken place on January 9. The passengers had complained that two buses were assigned to take them from the tarmac to the plane. However, the flight took off even as passengers in one of the buses kept waiting.

The passengers had alleged their boarding passes and their bags had been checked in by the airline.

On January 10, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had issued a notice to Go First seeking an explanation.

Describing the incident as “inadvertent oversight”, the airline had apologised and offered the passengers who were left behind, a free ticket to anywhere in India, within the next year.

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to an inadvertent oversight in the reconciliation of flight G8 116, from Bengaluru to Delhi,” the airlines had said in a statement, according to PTI. “Passengers were accommodated on alternate airlines to Delhi and onward to other destinations.”

On Friday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that the airlines in its response said there was improper communication, and coordination between the terminal coordinator, commercial staff, and crew regarding the boarding of passengers in the aircraft, NDTV reported.

“The airline failed to ensure adequate arrangement for ground handling, preparation of load and trim sheet, flight dispatch and passenger/cargo handling,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.