EXPLAINING RULES REGARDING AIR TRAVEL

Submitted during Internship under Legal Specs by Kairav.

Recently there have been many cases and stories which have come up about misbehaviour by passengers traveling in airplanes. The Air India case of a man allegedly urinating on a woman shook the masses and it’s important to spread awareness about the rules and guidelines that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set for all passengers travelling by air. As per provisions given in the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the authorized pilots and cabin crew are empowered to lawfully act on controlling disruptions by unruly passengers. Reported incidents are probed by internal panel for their misconduct. The offender will be banned from flying for 30 days and after investigation the punishment will be awarded depending on the outcome of the investigation. Airlines also has a no-flyers list which permits them to ban a certain passenger from flying in their carrier owing to certain wrongful conduct they did in air. Anyone causing disruption to the airline’s normal functioning in any way can be put on a no-fly list. The violation of rules are classified into 3 categories of seriousness that include- 1. Physical gestures, unruly behaviour, verbal harassment and other rash actions. 2. Actual physical violence that leads to trespass to person like slapping, punching, kicking etc. and finally 3. Murderous and life threatening tendencies like damaging aircrafts, using weapons to harm others, hurting people with the intention to kill.

By observing these legal provisions it can be inferred that as responsible citizens and human beings we must be mindful of our behaviour. It’s understandable that airports and crammed airplanes are frustrating sometimes and can affect our minds, but it’s our duty to be careful and compassionate towards fellow passengers. It’s a good idea to search for basic rules regarding etiquettes for flying and follow them so that us and everyone around us has a safe and comfortable journey!