IndiGo fined Rs 1.2 crore, Mumbai airport Rs 90 lakh after passengers eat on tarmac
A penalty of Rs 30 lakh each has also been imposed on Air India and SpiceJet for poor preparedness that led to flight delays.
Aviation security regulator Bureau of Civil Aviation Security on Wednesday fined airline IndiGo Rs 1.20 crore after videos posted on social media showed its passengers eating food on the tarmac beside an aircraft at the Mumbai airport, The Indian Express reported.
The civil aviation department also imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh on Mumbai International Airport Limited, which operates the airport, in connection with the incident. Additionally, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation directed the airport operator to pay a penalty of Rs 30 lakh for safety-related violations.
Air India and SpiceJet were also fined Rs 30 lakh each by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for poor preparedness that led to delays due to the fog, NDTV reported.
The action against IndiGo came after the passengers of its Delhi-bound flight from Goa were seen sitting and eating on the tarmac at the Mumbai airport, where their aircraft had been diverted. The incident took place on Sunday after the flight was delayed by 12 hours. The airline had apologised on Monday after the video went viral.
According to the two aviation regulators, IndiGo allowed the passengers to be deboard the aircraft on to the airport apron and then boarded them on to another plane without following the security screening procedure in violation of regulations.
Following the incident, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security had issued a showcause notice to the airline and the Mumbai airport operator on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in connection with the action against Air India and SpiceJet, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement that it had issued instructions to airlines on low visibility operations and fog preparedness.
However, the two airlines did not make the required arrangements for some of their flights, thereby failing to comply with the directions, the statement said. “This also constituted a violation of the relevant Civil Aviation Requirements,” the regulator added.