Denied Dignity: How Air India's Failure Left an Senior Passenger in ICU

New Delhi, 08 March 2025

The recent incident involving 82-year-old Ms. Raj Pasricha, who suffered a brain stroke after Air India failed to provide a pre-booked wheelchair, is a stark reminder of the persistent neglect faced by elderly and disabled passengers in India’s aviation sector. Despite clear legal mandates, established guidelines, and even past judicial interventions, airlines continue to fall short of ensuring dignified and accessible air travel for vulnerable passengers. This alarming pattern of indifference is not just a violation of human dignity but also a breach of statutory and constitutional obligations.

The Incident

On March 4, 2025, Raj Pasricha and her family arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 3:30 p.m. for a 5:00 p.m. flight to Bengaluru. A wheelchair had been pre-booked for Ms. Pasricha due to her restricted mobility. However, upon arrival, the family was told that wheelchairs were being arranged "as per availability" and that they were on a waiting list. No consideration was given to the urgency of their flight's departure time.

After waiting for 20 minutes without any assistance, Ms. Pasricha and her grandson were forced to start walking toward the airport’s entry gate. Tragically, she fell "face flat" to the ground while proceeding to the check-in counter, sustaining head injuries, a bleeding nose, and cuts on her upper lip and tongue.

Shockingly, Air India staff at the check-in counter failed to provide immediate medical aid, instead directing the family to walk to the medical room themselves. A wheelchair was finally arranged after the fall, but the damage was already done. Ms. Pasricha continued to bleed throughout the flight.

Only upon landing at Bengaluru airport was she given medical attention. A doctor administered stitches, but the next day, scans at the Indian Air Force Command Hospital in Bengaluru confirmed that she had suffered a brain stroke (chronic lacunar infarcts). She has remained in the ICU for the past three days.

The family has since written to Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, and filed a formal complaint with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Delay in Assistance = Denial of Service

For a person with a disability or an elderly passenger, any delay in providing a wheelchair or assistance is not a minor inconvenience — it amounts to refusal of service. The moment a passenger with reduced mobility reports at the taxi arrival point, the responsibility to ensure timely assistance and safe boarding should rest with the airline.

Currently, the burden is unfairly placed on the passenger. The fear of missing a flight, coupled with the physical strain of navigating crowded and often inaccessible airport terminals, creates enormous stress for elderly and disabled passengers.

The reality is harsh:

• If a wheelchair is not promptly provided, the passenger is left to fend for themselves — forced to walk or navigate difficult airport layouts.
• If the delay results in the passenger missing the flight, the airline conveniently labels it as a "no-show."
• The financial consequences are severe — airlines are known to exploit such situations by charging exorbitant fares for a new ticket, often at four times the original price.

Passengers are essentially held hostage to the inefficiencies and indifference of airlines. They are left humiliated, physically strained, and financially exploited — all while the airline escapes accountability.

This is not just unethical — it is a violation of the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities and the elderly.

Legal Obligations and Regulatory Framework

The failure to provide a pre-booked wheelchair and the denial of immediate medical assistance violate several legal and regulatory provisions under Indian law:

1. Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016

The RPwD Act, 2016 recognizes the right to equality, dignity, and accessibility for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility. Under Section 41 of the Act:

• The Government is required to take measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to transport facilities.
• Service providers, including airlines, are legally bound to provide necessary assistance to ensure safe and dignified travel.

The RPwD Act was further strengthened by the RPwD Amendment Rules, 2023 (G.S.R. 528(E) dated July 11, 2023), which inserted para (f) mandating compliance with:

• The Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation, 2022 — These guidelines were notified by the Ministry of Civil Aviation on January 9, 2023 (notification number AV-24032/56/2021-AAI-MoCA).

2. DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on Carriage by Air of Persons with Disabilities and Persons with Reduced Mobility

The DGCA’s CAR (Section 3, Series M, Part I) mandates the following:

• Airlines must ensure that adequate wheelchairs and trained staff are available at all airports.
• Assistance must be provided from the point of entry at the airport to the aircraft and vice versa.
• Medical assistance must be immediately provided in case of an emergency.
• Denial of assistance amounts to discrimination and attracts penalties.

3. Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation, 2022

These guidelines explicitly require airlines and airports to:

• Provide seamless wheelchair assistance from the point of entry to the aircraft.
• Ensure availability of wheelchairs based on advance booking and immediate availability upon request.
• Train staff to handle medical emergencies and treat passengers with empathy and respect.

Judicial Precedent: Jeeja Ghosh Case

This incident is disturbingly similar to the landmark Jeeja Ghosh vs. Union of India case (2016), where the Supreme Court held that the dignity and safety of passengers with disabilities are paramount. In that case, Ms. Jeeja Ghosh, a disability rights activist, was deboarded from a flight because the airline staff felt she was unfit to fly due to her disability.

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Ms. Ghosh, emphasizing that the right to dignity and equal access to transportation is fundamental. The Court fined the airline ₹10 lakhs for failing to respect the dignity and rights of a passenger with disabilities.

In its judgment, the Court stressed:

"Dignity does not come from charity; it comes from a recognition of equality and respect for individual autonomy."

What Needs to Change

1. Strict Enforcement of Regulations
   The DGCA must enforce strict penalties for non-compliance with accessibility standards. Issuing advisories is no longer enough — consistent monitoring and stringent enforcement are essential.

2. Guaranteed Availability of Wheelchairs
   Airlines must maintain an adequate number of functional wheelchairs at all airports and ensure immediate availability for pre-booked requests.

3. Empathy and Training for Staff
   Airline and airport staff must be trained not only in handling medical emergencies but also in treating passengers with dignity and respect.

4. Immediate Medical Assistance
   Every airport should have a rapid-response medical team available at all times. The absence of immediate medical aid amounts to negligence.

5. Passenger Feedback and Redressal
   Airlines should establish a transparent and accessible system for passengers to lodge complaints and receive prompt redressal.

Flying with Dignity is a Right, Not a Privilege

Air travel is not a luxury — it is a right. Elderly and disabled passengers deserve to travel with safety, comfort, and dignity. Providing a wheelchair or medical assistance is not an act of charity — it is a legal obligation.

The tragic ordeal faced by Ms. Pasricha should serve as a wake-up call to the aviation industry and regulatory authorities. Passengers with disabilities are not asking for special treatment — they are simply asking for the right to travel with dignity. Airlines must stop treating accessibility as an inconvenience and start treating it as a fundamental right.

News coverage: 

The Hindu

Hindustan Times

US DOT Finalises Rule for Dignified Air Travel: A Milestone for Wheelchair Users

Dear Colleagues,

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has introduced a landmark Final Rule to enhance the air travel experience for wheelchair users, addressing long-standing challenges faced by disabled passengers.  This Rule strengthens its regulation implementing the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and to address the serious problems that individuals with disabilities using wheelchairs and scooters face when traveling by air that impact their safety and dignity, including mishandled wheelchairs and scooters and improper transfers to and from aircraft seats, aisle chairs, and personal wheelchairs.  This final rule also carries out certain rulemaking provisions required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Effective January 16, 2025, with some provisions having later deadlines, the rule aims to provide safer, more dignified, and equitable services for travelers with mobility devices.

Key Highlights of the Rule:

1. Improved Assistance: Airlines must ensure prompt and safe assistance during boarding, deplaning, and transfers, respecting passengers' independence and privacy. Wheelchairs must be made available near the aircraft door upon request.

2. Enhanced Training: Airline staff and contractors will receive annual hands-on training to handle mobility devices and assist disabled passengers properly.

3. Rebuttable Presumption: Airlines will be assumed at fault if mobility devices are returned damaged, simplifying the claims process for passengers.

4. Timely Device Handling: Mobility devices delayed on domestic flights must be returned within 24 hours and within 30 hours for longer international flights. Passengers can also opt for delivery or airport pickup.

5. Reimbursement and Loaner Devices: Airlines must reimburse ground transport costs incurred due to delays, provide loaner mobility devices meeting safety and functional needs, and allow passengers to work with their preferred vendor for repairs or replacements.

6. Better Communication: Airlines are required to notify passengers about their rights when mobility devices are mishandled and provide updates on loading and unloading procedures.

7. Fair Rebooking: Passengers whose wheelchairs cannot be accommodated on a flight must be rebooked at no additional cost.

8. Onboard Wheelchair Improvements: Airlines must upgrade onboard wheelchairs on various aircraft types over the coming years.

Why This Matters:

Airlines mishandle 10,000 to 15,000 mobility devices annually, often likened by disabled travelers to a personal injury rather than mere property damage. The new rule tackles these issues head-on, emphasizing safety, dignity, and independence. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg lauded the rule as a "major step forward," highlighting the importance of vendor choice for device repairs and replacements.

Advocates welcome these changes, citing years of challenges with inadequate training, delayed devices, and limited repair options. For disabled travelers, the rule represents not just logistical improvements but a long-overdue recognition of their rights and needs.

What India’s DGCA Needs to Do:

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) should take cues from the DOT's comprehensive approach to improving air travel for wheelchair users. The DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on the carriage of persons with disabilities currently have vague provisions regarding the replacement and compensation for lost or delayed mobility equipment. Clear timelines for returning mobility devices, options for preferred vendors, and penalties for mishandling must be incorporated. Moreover, loaner devices and reimbursement for related expenses should be mandated to ensure dignity and autonomy for disabled passengers. Enhancing employee training and publishing cargo hold dimensions, as done in the U.S., would further bring much-needed transparency and accountability to the system. And above all, this should become a part of Accessibility Standards of the Civil Aviation Ministry to be issued under Rule 15 of the RPWD Act.

Download a copy of the Final rule 

Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers with Disabilities using wheelchairs"  [MS Word file:153KB] [PDF File: 1.5MB]

Source:  FederalRegister (dot) gov  

Supreme Court of India mandates the UOI Guidelines on Civil Aviation and stresses need of sensitization of CISF personnel

Court: Supreme Court of India

Bench: Justice J.B. Pardiwala  and Justice Pankaj Mithal

Case No. W.P.(C) No. 121/2024

Case title: Arushi Singh vs. Union of India  

Date of Judgement: 12 November 2024

Brief Summary

On November 12, 2024 the Supreme Court disposed off a writ petition filed by Arushi Singh, a person with a benchmark disability, addressing an incident of alleged humiliation at Kolkata Airport. Singh reported being asked by security personnel to stand up from her wheelchair during security screening, a situation that left her feeling disrespected and violated. The Court affirmed that the guidelines proposed by the Union Government for treating persons with disabilities with dignity at airports would now be mandatory, also extending to elderly and injured passengers requiring wheelchair assistance.

Incident Leading to the Petition  

Arushi Singh, a graduate of the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, and LL.M. holder from the National University of Singapore, recounted her experience on January 31, 2024. She alleged that she waited for approximately 20 minutes without assistance outside the airport and was subsequently asked to stand during security screening three times, despite her repeated explanations of her disability. The insensitivity allegedly displayed by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel prompted Singh to file the petition, seeking effective enforcement of relevant regulations, including the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016, and the Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation 2022.  

Supreme Court Observations and UOI's Suggestions  

A bench comprising former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice J.B. Pardiwala had noted in earlier hearings that the issues raised required action by the Union of India. During the proceedings, a joint statement was presented, outlining several suggestions for ensuring dignified treatment of specially-abled individuals at airports:  

1. Mobile Application for Wheelchair Availability: Real-time updates on wheelchair availability at designated airport points for easy access by users.  

2. Mechanized Wheelchairs: Availability of mechanized wheelchairs for passengers traveling solo or in cases of delayed assistance.  

3. Boarding Pass Coding:  Incorporation of an alphabet code indicating the type of disability and a color scale denoting the severity of the condition.  

4. Integration of Unique Disability Identity Database:  Streamlining the ticket booking process by linking the database, enabling instant access to verified disability information for better assistance.  

5. Specialized Kiosks for Boarding Passes: Contactless kiosks equipped with voice recognition and response technology to aid persons with disabilities.  

6. Regular Sensitization Training for Airport Staff: Comprehensive and periodic training for airport staff, emphasizing understanding various disabilities and compassionate assistance.  

Court’s Directives  

The Court agreed with the petitioner’s counsel, Abiha Zaidi, that these suggestions should be treated as mandatory guidelines. The bench further emphasized that these measures should not be limited to wheelchair users but also include elderly and injured passengers requiring assistance. Importantly, it clarified that physical assistance already being provided at airports would not be withdrawn under these guidelines.  

Concluding the matter, the bench remarked:  

"We dispose of the Writ Petition in the aforesaid terms laying more stress on sensitizing the staff at the airport to be more compassionate towards the specially abled passengers." 

Read the judgement

Enhancing Air Travel for Individuals with Disabilities: US DOT Proposes New Regulations

Introduction:

Air travel is an essential part of modern life, but for individuals with disabilities, it can often be a challenging and uncomfortable experience. Recognizing the need for change, the Department of Transporation, USA (US DOT) has recently proposed groundbreaking regulations aimed at improving air travel conditions for people using wheelchairs. This move, announced by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, seeks to address mishandling issues and set new standards for airline practices.

Proposed Regulations: A Step Towards Accountability:

Under the proposed regulations, damaging or delaying the return of a wheelchair would become an automatic violation of federal law. This significant change aims to empower the Transportation Department to penalize airlines more effectively for mishandling wheelchairs, bringing a higher level of accountability to the industry.

Moreover, the regulations would introduce enhanced training requirements for workers who assist disabled passengers or handle their wheelchairs. This commitment to comprehensive training reflects a broader effort to create a more supportive and understanding environment for passengers with disabilities.

Impact on Travelers:

For the millions of Americans with disabilities, air travel has often been avoided due to inadequate airline practices and insufficient government regulations. The proposed rules signify a turning point, promising a transformative shift in the way airlines operate to ensure that travelers using wheelchairs can embark on their journeys safely and with dignity.

The proposed regulations come in response to a widespread issue – more than 11,000 wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled by airlines in the previous year. This statistic underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities during air travel and the need for tangible solutions.

Building on Previous Initiatives:

This latest proposal builds upon earlier initiatives by the US DOT to enhance the flying experience for disabled travelers. In 2022, the Transportation Department published a bill of rights for airline passengers with disabilities, and in the same year, regulations were finalized to require more commercial aircraft to have accessible bathrooms.

Senator Tammy Duckworth, a wheelchair user and advocate for disabled individuals, has emphasized the importance of these regulations in holding airlines accountable. However, she also voiced concerns about potential reversals by future administrations, highlighting the need for congressional steps to protect and enforce these policies.

Industry Response and Public Input:

Airlines for America, a trade group representing major U.S. air carriers, responded by stating that the industry has been actively working to improve the flying experience for disabled passengers through measures like enhanced employee training. The proposed regulations are now open for public comments for a 60-day period, allowing stakeholders to contribute their insights and feedback.

Conclusion:

The proposed regulations mark a significant stride towards inclusivity and accessibility in air travel. By addressing the mishandling of wheelchairs and prioritizing comprehensive training, the US DOT aims to create a safer, more dignified, and comfortable experience for individuals with disabilities. The public now has an opportunity to provide input, shaping the future of air travel for everyone, regardless of their mobility challenges.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, news release, Feb. 29, 2024

Woman in Wheelchair Claims Kolkata Airport Security Staff Demanded She Stand

Dear Colleagues,

Here is another goof up reported by a wheelchair user traveller. Ms. Arushi Singh, a traveler who uses wheelchair for mobility has alleged that she was asked to "stand up" by a security personnel at the Kolkata airport on 31st January 2024.

Sharing the incident on her X account on Feb 01, Ms. Singh said that she ws asked by a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel to stand up thrice during the security clearance.

"First she asked me to get up and walk two steps into the kiosk. Told her I can't as I have a disability. Inside she again asked me to stand up. I said I can't. She said sirf 2 minute khade ho jao (stand up for just two minutes). I explained again that I have a disability by birth," Ms. Singh, who is a law student according to her X bio, alleged.

Yesterday evening during the security clearance at Kolkata airport, the officer asked me (a wheelchair user) to stand up, not once but thrice. First she asked me to get up and walk two steps into the kiosk. (1/1)

— Arushi Singh (@singhharushi) February 1, 2024

This appalling lack of empathy has left me "shaken and furious", she expressed, adding that there have been instances in the past too, and shows that Kolkata airport has "learnt nothing" from them.

"Does the CISF manual on airport security ask to insult people with disability," she asked.

"Given that most wheelchair assistants were helping passengers, the officer in question did not feel the need to help me out of the kiosk when the security clearance was completed. Moreover, there was a 20-minute delay before wheelchair assistance was provided," she claimed.

There is an urgent need to re-look at the treatment of passengers with disabilities by the Kolkata airport authorities, Ms Singh added.

Delhi Airport now a Sunflower Airport - Introduces initiatives to be friendly to travellers with hidden disabilities

With an aim to embrace diversity and nurture an inclusive atmosphere at Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), the authorities annouced a range of services in an attempt of enhancing the travel experience for individuals with hidden disabilities on 16 November 2023.

Fig. Image of Sunflower Lanyard

Under this initiative, DIAL has introduced a variety of merchandise options, including Sunflower lanyards, pin badges, and wristbands. These identifiable objects allow passengers to signal airport staff for assistance from in a case the need arises.

This step is aligned with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower initiative, a simple tool which lets people voluntarily share that they have a condition or impediment that may not be immediately apparent, and they require assistance or simply an understanding aid at a public places.

Sunflower initiative is the signal of non-visible disabilities. About 80% disabilities are hidden and non-visible. These hidden disabilities can be neurological, cognitive and neuro-developmental as well as physical, visual, auditory and include sensory and processing difficulties. They can also be respiratory as well as chronic health conditions such as arthritis and diabetes, chronic pain and sleep disorders.

By putting on the Sunflower lanyard, pin or wristband, travellers with hidden disabilities can easily identify themselves and make their needs known to the airport staff, who will approach them and provide the necessary help.

More details at DIAL website.

IndiGo forgets an elderly couple at Istabnbul Airport, remain stuck for 24 hours

New Delhi

A senior citizen who uses wheelchair for mobility and his wife were recently stranded for 24 hours at Istanbul Airport after IndiGo allegedly “forgot” to put them on their connecting flight to India.

The elderly couple, Rajesh Shah (64) a wheelchair user and his wife Rashmi (59) were returning to Mumbai from London and had booked tickets from the airline with the London-Istanbul sector operated by Turkish Airlines and the leg to Mumbai by IndiGo. 

The couple finally got the next day’s flight to Mumbai ater a harrowing 24 hours.

“My parents had a single PNR ticket for the journey on August 17. My father is a wheelchair-user as he had suffered multiple strokes and has undergone surgeries. My mother also cannot walk long distances so we had booked wheelchairs for both of them for use at airports. They landed in Istanbul as per schedule,” said Shahs’ daughter Richa, who is based in Bengaluru.

After landing, the ground staff assisted them with taking the connecting flight to Mumbai. “They were made to sit at the boarding gate with their boarding passes. When a few hours passed, my mother went to check at the counter regarding the flight status. The staff took the boarding passes from her and asked them to sit till further instructions. This kept happening repeatedly and they were only told: ‘My supervisor is on the way, you have to talk to him’,” Richa said.

The Shahs were finally told that the Mumbai flight had departed. “They panicked and reached out to me. I managed to contact IndiGo to assist them. The local staff at the airport only spoke Turkish and my parents could not communicate with them,” Richa added.

When she finally managed to speak to someone on the IndiGo helpline from India, the airline issued the couple a boarding card for a Mumbai flight the next day.

“My parents are vegetarians and need constant medication and medical support. They were stranded in this condition for 24 hours at Istanbul airport...on chairs in a secluded place with a loaf of bread and coke. They were told that they would be picked up from the same place for the next day’s flight,” Richa said. 

After the issue became a media headlines, the IndiGo issued a statement saying that it was a regrettable case of a human error with their Turkish Ground Handling Services.

IndiGo further added, "We are aware of the incident of a mis-connection that happened at Istanbul airport with a senior couple travelling from London to Mumbai via Istanbul on August 17, 2023. This was a regrettable case of a human error with our Turkish Ground Handling Services, due to which the passengers missed their connecting flight to Mumbai. The IndiGo team at Istanbul extended assistance and provided them with the next available direct flight option. We have already taken up this incident to our partner airline and extend our sincere apologies to the affected passengers."

SriLankan Airlines denied boarding to a 15-yr-old boy with autism from Bengaluru Airport

A 15-year-old boy with autism was denied boarding a Sri Lankan Airlines flight on May 16, 2023 from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru.

According to a Times of India report, the boy was denied after it was suspected that he could create a problem for fellow passengers and pilots. It further stated that crew members of the aircraft kept following the 15-year-old boy, following which the mother complained to the airport police and the airline. However, the incident has come to light recently. 

"Two male ground staffers of Sri Lankan Airlines came up to us and asked questions about our 15-year-old younger son, who has autism and communicates using a mobile app. Shockingly, they began to say that he would be a threat to the pilots and fellow passengers on the plane if allowed to board. My son was hearing all this and stood scared holding our hands," the mother told Times of India.

She further said, "It became very intimidating for her son and also us, with the two men following us all the way to the aircraft as if to catch something untoward."

The report also stated that the family was carrying the boy's unique disability ID (UDID) card, which is issued by the Government of India. Even after showing the UDID card, the officials demanded a certificate from the treating doctor, which states that he could board the flight.

However, the boy was allowed to board the flight after his mother fought against the decision of the airlines and after a nearly two-hour ordeal.

The boy's mother also informed the officials, "Autism is not a disease and there is no need for a doctor to treat him, let alone authenticate him to fly. He is a well-travelled boy and his last trip was to Dubai, and he has never been harassed over his condition."

Source: Business Standard 

Delta Flight Products will feature New Seat Prototype for Passengers with Reduced Mobility at 2023 Aircraft Interiors Expo as per their press release

Below is reproduced from the Press Release by DeltaTechops.com dated 31 May 2023, without any change.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

At next week’s annual Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, Delta Flight Products (DFP) will debut a full prototype of a first-of-its kind airplane seat that allows customers who use a powered wheelchair to remain in their own wheelchairs for the entire journey.

DFP has partnered with UK-based consortium Air4All on the seat, which converts a standard passenger seat to an accommodation for wheelchair restraint.

The patented design offers comfort and safety for all passengers by providing access to headrest, center console tray tables and cocktail table that adjust to serve passengers with wheelchairs in place. The product also enables airlines to retain the design of their cabin on every seat.

Implementation of the seat will also facilitate a more seamless boarding and disembarking experience for PRM.

“DFP delivers highly engineered products and services to fill service gaps, solve operational challenges and transform the experience of customers and crewmembers,” said Rick Salanitri – President of Delta Flight Products. “Air4All is collaborating with DFP and our strong production and manufacturing capabilities to explore new ways to deliver equal access to comfort, safety, and dignity for all customers. This patented design offers new possibilities for customers with disabilities to enjoy a travel experience they truly deserve.”

“An innovation like this in air travel provides those with reduced mobility a safe and comfortable way for them to travel and remain in their own power wheelchair,” said Chris Wood, Founder of Flying Disabled.  “It has taken truly a collaborative effort to develop this seat and we believe this product provides an optimal solution for all parties.”

Following the exhibition, the seat will be sent for final design and validation. Testing and certification programs to install the seat will begin once certified.

Delta Flight Products (DFP) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, which is committed to and has long engaged in a variety of initiatives to increase air travel accessibility while continuously innovating and evolving in this space. At Delta, this includes working closely with their long-standing Advisory Board on Disability in creating experiences pertaining to aircraft, airport renovations, procedures and more.

ABOUT DELTA FLIGHT PRODUCTS

Delta Flight Products (DFP) was established to re-think aircraft interiors. DFP offers modern solutions to airline interiors through the engineering and production of cabin design, technological systems, cabin furnishings, food/beverage galleys, and storage equipment. DFP provides full-service engineering, certification, and manufacturing to create innovative aircraft interior solutions to airlines around the world.

ABOUT AIR4ALL

Air 4 All is a consortium formed of PriestmanGoode, Flying Disabled, SWS Certification and Sunrise Medical. Each member of the consortium has a personal and professional commitment to creating solutions around accessibility in air travel. Through a combination of industrial design, passenger experience design, aircraft cabin and airport accessibility, aircraft certification and regulation; and wheelchair design and manufacturing, the consortium has been developing the Air 4 All concept since 2019. It has been recognised as a finalist in the 2022 Crystal Cabin Awards and has featured in media and conferences dedicated to the topic of accessibility across the world.

Source : DeltaTechOps

More information on : AircraftInteriorsInternational dot com. 

The Mobile Aids on Board Improve Lives and Empower All Act - a bill introduced in US Senate and House to improve air travel for passengers with disabilities.

Passengers with disabilities have described harrowing problems during air travel, including bungled security screenings, risky transfers onto planes, and lost and damaged wheelchairs.

Their plight has caught the attention of Congress, where bipartisan bills focused on improving air travel for people with disabilities are being introduced in both the House and Senate.

The Mobility Aids on Board Improve Lives and Empower All Act, introduced on 05 May 2023, would require the Transportation Department to publicly report on the type of damage that occurs to wheelchairs and other mobility aids. It would require airline carriers to provide information to passengers to ensure a mobility aid can safely fit on a plane.

It would also order the Transportation Department to research the technical and financial feasibility of allowing passengers to board a flight directly in their wheelchair, rather than being transferred out of their wheelchairs and put into a regular seat.

The Mobile Act was introduced in the Senate by Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and in the House by Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Pete Stauber (R-Minn.).

The act comes as Congress prepares to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration’s funding and programs this year. Disabled passengers have called for more airline accountability and accessibility to be included in the reauthorization act.

“For passengers who use wheelchairs, traveling can oftentimes be difficult and frustrating,” Thune said. “I’m proud to join Senator Duckworth in introducing this common-sense legislation that would improve safety and accessibility for individuals who use mobility aids to help ensure their travel experience is as smooth and hassle-free as possible.”

In 2022, 11,389 wheelchairs, power wheelchairs and scooters were lost, damaged, delayed or stolen, the highest number since the Transportation Department was first required to report on this data in 2018.

Duckworth, who uses a wheelchair, said consumers don’t have information about the extent of the damage done, which is crucial to empower disabled people to make better decisions about which airlines to fly.

For example, while armrests and footrests tend to break a lot, this type of damage doesn’t render a device inoperable. But right now, there’s no way to know which airlines consistently cause catastrophic damage to wheelchairs versus those that report minor damage.

“It would be good for me as a wheelchair user to know that a particular airline does a lot of damage,” Duckworth said.

And if someone’s mobility aid, which could be a wheelchair, scooter or walker, does not fit through the opening of a plane’s cargo hold, customers with disabilities are either forced to leave the plane and get moved to another flight, or agree to have their mobility aid sent on a different flight, which can leave them stranded at the next airport until it arrives.

“For some people, just being moved in and out of your wheelchair is a medical risk,” Duckworth said.

For many disabled people, the goal is to be able to directly board a flight in their wheelchair or power wheelchair. Doing so would ensure that their devices aren’t damaged or lost, and would eliminate the risk of being dropped or injured during a seat transfer, said Heather Ansley, associate executive director of government relations with Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“This isn’t just a customer service issue; this is actually a safety issue,” she said. “If people don’t have access to their devices or a safe way to board the plane, then they’re subjecting themselves to injury.”

And while redesigning planes to accommodate wheelchairs would cost money, Duckworth said she believes doing so would benefit the economy in the long run, especially because the country’s aging population is more likely to use wheelchair in the future.

“The idea of a convertible seat is not new. We have it on trains, we have it on buses,” Duckworth said. “It is very much possible, and I’d like to get the studies done to see how viable it is in terms of commercial air travel.”

Airlines for America, a trade group representing air carriers, said it supports the bill and wants to ensure a positive and safe experience for all passengers, including those with disabilities.

“We are committed to continuing to work with the disability community, aircraft and mobility aid manufacturers and safety regulators to explore safe and feasible aircraft solutions that reduce barriers to air travel,” Marli Collier, a spokeswoman for the association, said in a statement.

A 2021 report found that on most airplanes, removing two rows of seats should allow the installation of in-cabin wheelchair securement systems with no formidable issues. The report noted that further studies on feasibility and safety are needed.

Source: The Guardian

Bengaluru Airport introduces more facilities for fyers with disabilities/ PRM through Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme

The Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) has introduced special services for persons with reduced mobility (PRM) and those with hidden disabilities aimed at creating a more stress-free and inclusive travel experience for passengers / flyers with disabilities.

These initiatives are particularly for persons in wheelchairs or reduced mobility and visually impaired individuals. Entry Gate 5 at Departures will be open for wheelchair users and persons with reduced mobility (PRM). Such passengers can now utilise designated drop-off space at Lane 1 at Departures, and they could also request priority check-in and a spot in the designated security check lane. For the ease of visually impaired travellers, BLR Airport has also introduced Braille menus at all food establishments.

Bangaluru Airport is now a Sunflower Airport.

Navigating unfamiliar places and procedures while catching a flight can be stressful, especially for passengers with disabilities. While not all disabilities are visible some disabilities are invisible to an onlooker, such as low vision, autism, dementia, or hearing loss.

Airport is now a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Global Network, an awareness initiative that discretely communicates to airport staff that passengers with an invisible disability may need additional support.

The programme is designed to discreetly help passengers with hidden disabilities to navigate public places. Hidden disabilities do not have physical signs and may not be obvious. For example, a person with anxiety, diabetes or other such conditions is considered a person with a hidden disability.

Under this Hidden Disabilities Sunflower programme, the Airport has introduced the Sunflower Lanyard.   This merchandise is available at the customer service kiosks"Care by BLR" in the terminal building just prior to entering security. They are free of charge and are for travellers only. While they do provide a discreet signal to airport staff, wearing this merchandise does not guarantee fast tracking through security or any preferential expedited service.

Any individual who may need additional support from the airport staff may opt to pick up the lanyard.  The Sunflower provides an extra layer of assistance for those coping with these issues and helps in making their airport experience more comfortable and anxiety-free. Under this program the Airport staff have been trained to identify those wearing Sunflower merchandise (lanyards) and to offer additional support, such as allowing more time for these passengers to complete a particular procedure or guiding them through airport processes.

Sign Language Aid

In addition  to above, select customer service staff at the Airport are trained to communicate using sign language and are equipped with the skillsets to assist passengers with hearing and speaking disabilities. The staff will also offer additional support, such as extending their time and assisting in guiding them through airport procedures. With this introduction, the team at the airport is hoping to help passengers with hearing and speaking limitations, to make their journey easy and pleasant. 

Braille Menus at Restaurants

For the visually impaired, ordering food at a restaurant can be a difficult undertaking. For the convenience of visually impaired passengers, all food outlets at Airport now have specially designed braille menus that will help in reducing their dependency on others.

Complimentary buggy service

Additionally, complimentary buggy services are available at the kerbside and at Arrivals Exit Gate A5 (next to the luggage reclaim area). Spacious pathways, wheelchair-accessible water fountains, wheelchair-friendly facilities, and hospitable lounging places are other additional features at the terminal.

This is a welcome initiative by the Bangaluru Airport and should be emulated by other airports in the country. We will wait for more user to expereince the change brought in the culture of handling passengers with disabilities and share it.   

Visit the Bangaluru Airport Website for more details under the Special Needs Section. and PRM Section.

Mumbai: Vietjet Air refuses to fly Mr. Arvind Prabhoo, a wheelchair user and Chief of Pickleball Association, saying 'no policy'

Defaulting Airline: Vietjet (Vietnamese airlines)

Name: Mr. Arvind Prabhoo, Chairperson of the All India Pickleball Association

Date: 17 Sep 2022 (Saturday)

At Airport: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai

Travelling between: Mumbai to Bali

Complaint:  Airline refused to fly Mr. Arvind Prabhoo on the ground of  "not having a policy for wheelchair-bound passengers" and no aisle chair (a narrow wheelchair used to transport immobile passengers from their own wheelchair to a seat during boarding and deplaning) in contravention of the DGCA's CAR on carriage by air of persons with disabilities.

Case Brief:

MUMBAI: Wheelchair-bound Arvind Prabhoo, chairperson of the All India Pickleball Association, was unable to accompany the 16 players representing India at the 2022 World Pickleball Championship between September 20 and 24 in Bali as he was not allowed to board a Vietjet flight from Mumbai on Saturday night. Prabhoo - a quadriplegic after a car accident 35 years ago left him paralyzed from the neck down - alleges that this was the first time he was denied a boarding pass on grounds of the airline "not having a policy for wheelchair-bound passengers" and no aisle chair (a narrow wheelchair used to transport immobile passengers from their own wheelchair to a seat during boarding and deplaning).

"Despite telling them that I was ready to pay for an aisle chair from another airline or my four personal attendants could lift me to the seat, the airline turned down both my requests saying they were unprepared to handle me in case of an emergency," he said.

Prabhoo, who is also president of Mumbai Suburban Table Tennis Association, said he had never faced such a situation on account of his disability in decades of travelling around the world as a sports administrator. "I had registered myself as a disabled passenger and requested wheelchair assistance while booking my flight. Why do they have the option when they don't have the facilities and why was I not informed at the time of booking," asked Prabhoo, who wrote to the ministry of civil aviation on Monday describing his plight.

To add to his ordeal, Prabhoo, the son of former mayor Ramesh Prabhoo, was asked to write to the airline when he sought a refund and was also refused a refund for his attendants. "They said that since my attendants were allowed to board, they would not be granted a refund...Why would my attendants travel when I wasn't being allowed to?"

For a fledgling sport just taking off in India with Mumbai set to host the fifth edition of the international pickleball tournament, the Bainbridge Cup, in November, Prabhoo, described his experience a "setback". "I had meetings planned with heads of pickleball associations from other nations on how we could take the game forward. Also, this is embarrassing for a physically disabled traveller in the 21st century when we have so many modern facilities."

Prabhoo's predicament comes at a time when the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) amended regulations to improve accessibility of boarding and flying for the disabled.

In July, the DGCA issued accessibility rules for disabled flyers saying that airlines should not refuse boarding to any person because of disability or reduced mobility.

Vietjet India, a Vietnames Airlines had anounced on 18 July 2022 about its 11 additional direct routes flight services to key Indian cities from September 2022,  did not reply to newsagency's messages for comment.

Source: Times of India, Mumbai

Air India fails to deliver a disabled passenger's wheelchair at destination airport

Are the differently-abled not meant to travel? Should we just sit on a chair and spend our entire lives on it only? Air India has taken that chair away from me as well.”

~ Ajay Gupta, Author; Founder; Entrepreneur

On the 19th of July 2022, Mr Ajay Gupta, Founder Director of SK Educations Pvt. Ltd., a wheelchair user, shared a horrific experience while travelling via the infamous airline – ‘Air India’ from Delhi to Mumbai.

Mr Gupta recounted that at the Delhi Airport, he had submitted his battery-operated wheelchair to the Air India staff and received a receipt for it in exchange once he boarded the flight. As he reached his destination, Mumbai, Mr Gupta asked for his wheelchair and was told that he would receive it at the baggage belt which was uncanny since usually when he travels, his personal wheelchair is brought to the aircraft gate and he uses his own wheelchair after landing at the destination.

At the baggage belt, he was intimated that one of his baggage was left behind at Delhi Airport. He didn’t pay heed to it as he was keen on receiving his wheelchair first so that he could attend to the work for which he had reached Mumbai. He kept on waiting at the luggage belt until the belt was empty. It was then that he met with a piece of shocking and disheartening news; the baggage left behind was indeed his wheelchair and he had no other means to mobilise himself at the new destination.

You travel, you are tired, you land, and you find that your source of movement, your ‘wheelchair’ has been misplaced. On top of that, you are vexed by the staff members. This was a horrific experience that I had today traveling with @airindiain

— Ajay Gupta (@ajay_bachpan) July 19, 2022

As per the DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements, on carriage by air of persons with disabilities and reduced mobility,

“Airlines should do their utmost to ascertain that any such special equipment of persons with disability or reduced mobility is properly identified and tagged, and is always transported with the passenger concerned in the same aircraft.”

To his surprise, rather than suggesting solutions for the same, the staff was indifferent to the value the wheelchair holds for a person with disability like Mr Gupta and were adamant on the fact that the loss was due to the callousness of the Delhi Airport and not theirs – merely suggesting that all they could do was drop him to his car.

Mr Gupta was made to wait for hours in the uncomfortable and compact aisle wheelchair that has very narrow dimensions and is not designed for longer use. He was not even provided with an assistance to support him to use the washroom during the long wait. 

I had to go to the restroom, I had not eaten anything but in spite of helping me they just said, ‘Hum Apko Gadi Tak Chhor Aayenge’. It was hectic for me after a long journey sitting on the compact 13x36x42 sized strapped wheelchair, I had nowhere to go even after the landing

— Ajay Gupta (@ajay_bachpan) July 19, 2022

The staff wanted to take away the aisle chair to use elsewhere and as per them, there were no surplus wheelchairs that could be given to him for use for the hectic day he had ahead. “I use my own electric wheelchair, which makes me feel empowered and independent because I do not have to rely on people to take me to various places.” said Mr. Gupta,

An assistive device like a wheelchair is enabling and hence, a very significant article in the life of a person with a disability. In the past, we have witnessed a plethora of similar cases where Air India itself has had conflicts with passengers with disabilities that reveal unequal treatment and multiple violations of the various amendments introduced by the government of India. Be it the case of Dr. Anita Ghai, Pratyush Nalam and Siddharth Mhatre. 

Chapter 2 of the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016 states,  “No person shall be deprived of his or her personal liberty only on the ground of disability.”

These are only instances with respect to discrimination against persons with disabilities. There are various other accounts where people with disabilities have faced issues with the airlines in the past. The staff did not address Mr Gupta’s questions and merely filed a ‘bag-lost’ complaint which seemed to be a half-hearted attempt by the staff and crew to make up for the omission that the airlines made. 

They even filed a fake ‘Bag-Lost Complaint’. Forget about help, there was no support and pathetic treatment over it. The lack of awareness towards the very sensitive differently-abled is frustrating. Where’s the inclusivity? Where’s the space for those who want to feel inclusive?

— Ajay Gupta (@ajay_bachpan) July 19, 2022

Way forward

In 2022, while we celebrate pride month, dignified transportation is a basic right of every individual whether disabled or not, which they should be able to exercise independently. People with disabilities are stripped of their pride when their Assistive Devices that are a source of empowerment and pride in situations of travel, activities of daily living and leisure are handled in such careless manner. Persons with disabilities consider their mobility equipments and assistive devices as extension of their bodies. 

Every airline has descriptive sections on their websites that laud their unending services for people with disabilities but there is an evident gap between the words and their actions.  It is essential that the Civil Aviation Requirements are followed through, for instance, wheelchairs provided should be standardized and can accommodate the needs of every user. In case of lost, damaged or delayed equipments, a suitable alternative should be provided by the airline/aerodrome operator.

While Mr. Gupta says he woud be taking this incident to its logical conclusion so that next time non one else suffers. Moving forward, with management of Air India going to Tata Group, we hope that the culture and service that the conglomerate offers – resonates in its airline through an equal, dignified and rights-based approach. 

Alliance Air denied boarding as they refuse to take the battery operated wheelchair on the flight- claims Sarita Dwivedi- an award winning artist

Defauting Airline: Alliance Air

Name: Sarita Dwivedi, an award winning artist

Date of Incident : 18 June 2022 (Saturday)

Aiport: Kempegowda Airport, Bangalore

Traveling between: Bangalore to Kochi

Complaint: Airline denied the boarding to wheelchair ussing flyer becuase airline believed that the battery operated wheelchair couldnot be  accepted to be taken on the aircraft as it was against rules.  The flyer was thus forced to travel another airlines by paying the current fair (tripple the cost) with no problems.

Dear Colleages,

Zee News reported on 21 June 2022 about this incident of  Ms. Sarita Dwivedi, an award winning artist claiming that she was not allowed to take her battery-operated wheelchair on the Alliance Air flight and was asked to leave behind her wheelchair. 

The trouble between airlines and specially-abled passengers continues in India as yet another wheelchair bound passenger was denied boarding recently. As per a PTI report, an award-winning physically challenged artist has claimed she was prohibited from boarding an Alliance Air flight from Bengaluru to Kochi. The incident comes into the light after multiple such incidences have been reported from the across the country. Mis-handling of specially-abled passengers have become a challenge not only for the airlines, but also DGCA, who recently issued guidelines for such incidences. 

Sarita Dwivedi, claimed that she was not allowed to take her battery-operated wheelchair on the Alliance Air flight and was asked to leave behind her wheelchair, or book a flight on another airline. She further claimed that Alliance Air did not even refund the amount of around Rs 8,000 she had spent on the tickets for herself and her friend who had come from Kochi to Bengaluru to take her here. She also accused a staff member of hostile behaviour towards her.

Alliance Air is yet to issue a statement on the issue. Dwivedi said she had to subsequently shell out around Rs 14,000 for travelling on another private carrier to reach here along with her friend. The airline also carried her wheelchair in the plane's cargo without any hitch, she said.

However, what transpired at the Alliance Air counter at Kempegowda International Airport on Saturday was a very bad experience, she said. On being asked whether she plans to sue the airline or take any other action, she said she was not sure how to go about that.

Giving details of her ordeal, Dwivedi said she reached the check-in counter around 8 am, an hour ahead of the flight's departure, conforming to the one hour rule. "On seeing me, the first thing the person from the airline said was that if you are travelling with a motorised wheelchair, you should come a little early. Then I got little angry and said I was on time. I told him to get the scanning person to scan the wheelchair so that I can go. Again he said I was late. Then he said 'madam you cannot travel with the motorised wheelchair as it was battery operated'."

On being asked whether the airline official gave a reason for not allowing the wheelchair, she stated "they said there are certain guidelines against it. But these guidelines are there with every airline."

"They said that in view of the guidelines, I cannot take my wheelchair. So either I should leave it behind or I cannot travel on the flight. That is how they were talking to me. I felt so bad," she said. She had earlier tweeted about the incident, tagging Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiradita Scindia.

Asked if the airline offered any alternatives, she said, "they were not willing to do anything for me. I was ready to leave the wheelchair there, provided they could send it to my place in Kochi. I am not from Bangalore. I am a humble person. I did not want to argue, so I asked them what they can do to help me," she said. They said they cannot do anything but can refund her ticket amount.

However, "they have not refunded the ticket amount.. I had spent around Rs 8,000 on two tickets for myself and my friend.. Even my friend could not travel as I was not allowed to travel. Not only did they not refund the amount, I had to, thereafter, spend around Rs 14,000 on two tickets to Kochi," on another airline, she claimed.

Dwivedi reached Kochi on Saturday afternoon instead of the morning as she had originally planned. When asked whether Alliance Air has got in touch with her subsequently to refund the amount, Dwivedi said, "Nothing. They have no facilities. They do not know how to talk to people. They just keep arguing and shouting. It was irritating."

She claimed initially the airline did not allow them to get their boarding passes and then they said that their manager was coming and to wait for him as after he arrives, then only they can do anything.

After a long wait, a person came who was a senior supervisor in Alliance Air and not the manager. "So I asked the person at the counter who had stopped me from boarding earlier as to whether this was the same person he spoke about. But he did not give a proper response."

She said the man started shouting at her that he was the responsible person and that he would be taking the decisions in the absence of the manager who was not here. Dwivedi said she asked him why she was made to wait so long at the airport, if the manager was not going to come.

"I, thereafter, calmly asked them to send me to Kochi. I said I do not want a refund....They said we cannot do that and that I can get a refund only. They said I should book a flight on another airline. That is how they replied. Then they said that I could travel by their airline, but the wheelchair cannot be taken along," she added.

For Dwivedi who had travelled the long distance from Indiranagar in Bangalore to the airport, everything had been "spoiled" by then and she subsequently demanded that the airline gave in writing why she was not allowed to board her flight.

"After travelling so far alone and managing everything physically, mentally and financially, they spoiled everything for me. For a person like me it is difficult. It is in my nature that I speak softly to people and I was speaking calmly to them at the airport to find a solution. They are the ones who started arguing and then shouting at me," she alleged.

Personnel of the Airports Authority of India were present there and provided her with food and water and comforted her. They even tried to reason with the airline official, but in vain. "So then I asked him to give me in writing why I missed my flight, why I was not allowed to board," she said.

Thereafter, for the sake of formality the official wrote down why she was not allowed to board and she also agreed to get a refund to book tickets on another flight as she was getting late, Dwivedi said. However, when the official realised she was going to fly on another airline, he said he would not give anything in writing and walked away with the paper, she claimed.

On how the experience was with the other carrier she later flew in, she said, "they never created any issue for me. They were quick and gave a very good service. My wheelchair has a dry battery. The rule is that you cannot travel with a wet battery on an airline."

"I just removed the battery supply and gave it to the airline and they put the wheelchair in the baggage," she said. "I travel a lot and wherever I go, I have never faced this problem. This time the travel agent booked the tickets on Alliance Air. He did not mention that I was differently abled or wheelchair user while booking the ticket. That is required if I need a wheelchair. But I carry my own wheelchair, so where is the need to put that (while booking a ticket)?"

"Even otherwise, imagine if I am travelling with a prosthesis and all of a sudden something happens to me and I cannot walk. I will definitely bring my wheelchair without any information. Are they so unprofessional that they cannot handle such a situation," she asked.

Source: Zee News India 

Armed with powers under Aircraft (amendment) Act 2020, DGCA levies penality of Rs. 5 lacs on IndiGo Airlines for denying boarding to child with disabilty at Ranchi Airport

Dear colleagues,

Please refer to our earlier post  "On Mothers Day, a Special mother harrassed by an insensitive and arrogant Indigo Manager at Ranchi Airport, India" 

The ground staff's refusal to allow the child from boarding the aircraft on the ground that he was a safety risk had drawn widespread criticism, prompting the aviation regulator to launch a probe. The Union Minister for Civil Aviation Shri JM Scindia had himself ordered a probe into the incident saying, "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."

Subsequently, the regulator DGCA constituted a 3-member team to conduct a fact-finding probe. The findings of the committee prima facie indicated inappropriate handling of passengers by the IndiGo staff thereby resulting in certain non-conformances with the applicable regulations.

The DGCA probe found the IndiGo ground staff “deficient” in their handling of the passenger with disability and lacking in sensitivity and thus ended up exacerbating the situation. 

These findings are based on a fact-finding exercise carried out by a three-member committee constituted by the DGCA which visited the Ranchi airport, met the family members of the special needs child , an eyewitness and met IndiGo officials too.

This had led to DGCA issuing a "showcause notice" to the airline through its authorized representative to explain as to why suitable enforcement action should not be taken against them for the non-conformances (as a requirement of the law), thereby providing an opportunity to the airline for personal hearing as well as for making written submissions till 26th of May 2022.

“A more compassionate handling would have smoothened the nerves, calmed the child and obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in denied boarding to the passengers.” DGCA’s Director General Arun Kumar said in a press statement. 

"Special situations deserve extraordinary responses but the Airline staff failed to rise up to the occasion and in the process committed lapses in adherence to the letter and spirit of the Civil Aviation Requirements (Regulations)," the statement said, adding that the competent authority has decided to impose a penalty of ₹ 5 lakh on the airline.

This is importnat since it is for the very first time for any airline in the country to be fined by the DGCA on this ground since the recent amendments in the Aircraft (amendment) Act 2020 gave the powers to DGCA to levy fines without approaching a civil court for non compliance of Rules issued under the Aircraft Act. 

The DGCA has also said that it will also make amendments to the Civil Aviation Requirement on “Carriage by Air of Persons with Disability or Persons with reduced mobility” to ensure written consultation with the airport doctor on the state of the passenger’s health as well as the opinion of the Pilot-in-Command on allowing such a passenger on board before he or she is denied boarding.

The DGCA also wants airlines to revisit their standard operating procedures and training processes for dealing with people with disabilities.

Related news: The Hindu

On Mothers Day, a Special mother harrassed by an insensitive and arrogant Indigo Manager at Ranchi Airport, India

Dear Colleages,

The airlines may be talking big, but their employees bring all the efforts back to square one. Indigo has worked hard to gain respect of passengers with disabilities for their accessible facilities and timely departures, but if the below account shared by a sensitive fellow passenger who saw what unfolded at the Ranchi Airport on 07th May 2022, is to be understood in right context, it only indicates that disability sensitivity trainings are not happening correctly and not all is good with Indigo too.

A Facebook post on how the staff of IndiGo airlines barred an adolescent with special needs from boarding a plane along with his parents at the Ranchi airport on Saturday has created an uproar on social media forcing the airline to issue a statement clarifying why its staff did so. The Facebook post originally shared by Manisha Gupta who witnessed the incident has now gone viral. 

"The Indigo staff announced that the child would not be allowed to take the flight. That he was a risk to other passengers. That he would have to become 'normal', before he could be travel-worthy. And the staff then went on to state something on lines of 'behaviours such as this, and that of drunk passengers, deems them unfit to travel," the Facebook post written by Manisha Gupta said.

 

 AN INCIDENT OF DISCRIMINATION AND SHAME AT THE RANCHI AIRPORT 

Yesterday (07th May 2022), at the Ranchi airport, an adolescent with special needs, was in great distress. He had had a very uncomfortable  car ride to the airport. By the time he had gone through security check and reached the gate (almost an hour ahead of boarding), he seemed to be in the throes of hunger, thirst, anxiety and confusion. 

His parents obviously knew how to handle his meltdown - with patience, some cajoling, some stern-ness, many hugs etc. And the other passengers were stopping by to ask if they needed any help or support. 

This caught the attention of the #indigoairlines  staff, who walked upto the trio, and warned them that he would not let them board, if the child did not quieten down and become 'normal'.

By the time the boarding began, the child had been fed. He had had many sips of juice and water. His parents had successfully given him his medicine and he seemed ready...except for some big displays of general teenage assertiveness.

Then we witnessed the full display of brute authority and power. 

The Indigo staff announced that the child would not be allowed to take the flight. That he was a risk to other passengers. That he would have to become 'normal', before he could be travel-worthy. And the staff then went on to state something on lines of 'behaviours such as this, and that of drunk passengers, deems them unfit to travel.'

He was immediately gheraoed by other passengers. They opposed him resolutely. They assured the staff that as co-travellers, they had no objection to the child and his parents boarding the flight. Several went on to the Indigo airline website and challenged the Indigo manager to calibrate his decision with corresponding statements in the rule book. 

There was a delegation of doctors who were taking the same flight. They asked the ground staff to get the airport doctor and let him/her take a call on the fitness of the child to travel. They offered to provide full support to the child and his parents, if any health episode were to occur mid-air. "We are doctors traveling with this child and his family. Now let him board," they said.

Other doctors, teachers, government officials emerged from the widening ring of passengers. They held  up their mobile phones with news articles, Twitter posts on supreme court judgements on how no airline could discriminate against passengers with disabilities.

"This child is in uncontrollable. He is in a state of panic," the Indigo manager kept shouting and telling everyone. But all we could see was a young adolescent, sitting very quietly on a wheel chair, terror-striken by how he was being called out as a risk to the normal world. "The only person who is in panic is you," a woman passenger retorted.

 "I am a government official and I can tell you that it is this child's right to travel. You cannot discriminate against him," a senior passenger said. "This is my decision and you cannot do anything about it," the manager said very sharply.

'Why don't you confer with the captain?' ' Please call your manager'. 'His normal is not the same as your normal'. 'Look, he has travelled many times before on flights. He was a just having a bad day, he is fine now.' ' Yes, please let him travel'...

Threats, pleas, dialogue, negotiations, hands folded in request --- nothing  from the parents and circle of passengers worked in the face of that one person who had made up his mind last evening to fully exercise his power to exclude those who did not belong to his world of 'normal',  and  'fit' people.

Then, at the end of it all, the Indigo flight from Ranchi to Hyderabad departed, leaving behind three courageous Indians at the boarding terminal, who probably fight everyday for love, respect and dignity. The security guard locked and secured the boarding gate with an iron padlet and chains, even as the mother pleaded from the other side of the glass door. The other passengers, including us, slowly dispersed to catch our own flights. 

It was late night. Ours was probably the last flight out. As I stepped into the chute to board, I caught a last glimpse of this family -  a father, mother and child on a wheelchair, standing alone in a large, empty and deserted terminal, ring-fenced by airport staff and security. 

As I write this, all I remember is that in those 45 minutes of argument, temper, rage and contestation, the three had not once lost their dignity or raised their voice or spoken one irrational word. Not for a moment did they come across as unbeaten.

"Do you know what it means to be a parent?," the mother had asked the airline manager. "Do you think as a mother, I would ever let my child harm himself or anyone?"

What unfolded last evening at the Ranchi evening was a snapshot of  us . Us as a 'no country for mothers. Us as a 'co country for children'. No country for mothers who are different, No country for mothers who are raising children who are different.

#indigoairline - you are a disgrace to this country.

#mothersday2022

Another account by a Doctor traveling on the same flight as given to the Quint.

'As a Doctor, I Urged The IndiGo Manager to Let The Special Needs Child Board'

The nicest thing to come out of this sad story was the sensitivity of people.

DR SUMIT RAY

Updated: 10 May 2022, 1:02 PM IST

(Dr Sumit Ray is a senior consultant in critical care medicine. He was waiting at the Ranchi Airport when IndiGo barred a child with disabilities to board a flight to Hyderabad. The following is an as-told-to account, recorded and written by Sakshat Chandok.)

I was waiting at the Ranchi Airport on 7 May when I heard that a special needs child was crying. He was irritable and hungry as he had just come from a long, uncomfortable car ride, and his parents were looking after him.

He also had a cast on his arm, and was probably in some pain and discomfort, which made him restless and added to his woes.

Since he was a child with multiple disabilities, he took some time to calm down. When he finally did, it was time for their flight to start boarding passengers.

At that time, a manager from IndiGo said that since the child was "crying and panicking", he couldn't allow him to board the flight. He has to become "normal", the manager asserted.

Since the child was stopped from boarding, many passengers took it up with the the IndiGo representative. They explained to him that the child has special needs, and that he was restless earlier but had calmed down later. And after the child had stopped crying, he was sitting calmly on the wheelchair for 25-30 minutes.

There was also a team of six to seven doctors who were also boarding the same flight as the child and his parents. They said that if there is any problem on board, they would take care of it. "He's a child on a wheelchair," the doctors told the manager, adding, "He cannot be a threat to anybody.”

IndiGo Manager Was Unempathetic and Particularly Aggressive

The IndiGo manager was arguing with everybody. "You don’t understand. The child is panicking," he said, asserting that people who are under the influence of alcohol or behaving like the child would not be allowed to board.

Everybody got angry with him, but still people were very polite. The passengers on his flight and on other flights came together to explain to him, cajole him, but to no avail. They also urged him to call his senior, to which he said, "I am the senior person."

At that point I questioned him, “Do you even understand what the child’s problem is?” To which he replied that he knew it. So, I asked him what the child suffered from. “That’s not important. He was panicking," the manager retorted.

We asked him whether there was a doctor in the IndiGo team, to which he said that there wasn’t one. Then I suggested to him to call the airport doctor to examine the child.

Some people even asked him to talk to the captain of the flight. He said, “No, I know better.”

I also said that as doctors, we know that the child is not going to be a threat to anybody. But he just refused. He was aggressive and unempathetic.

Lacking in Training

I’m not trying to blame any airline. IndiGo has a fair reputation of taking care of people with special needs. But obviously there is something lacking in their training.

And it’s not just training. The manager was particularly difficult. Even the policemen who were there, who have no authority to allow a person on the flight, were asking the manager to let the child board.

He repeatedly said that the child had to become “normal”, to which we said that normal for him is different compared to what it might be for you. He was totally unwilling to listen or understand. He didn’t even know what disability meant.

He knew that most passengers would have to leave to catch their flights sooner or later, so he delayed the entire process to ensure that the child does not board the scheduled flight.

It is absolutely essential that we sensitise staff, particularly those who are dealing with people with special needs at different sites of interaction.

Sensitisation in different areas has certainly helped to create more awareness. In this particular situation, what the media, disability sector activists and others have done, has made people aware of special needs to a great extent.

IndiGo claims that they are good with people with disabilities, and I’m certainly not countering their claim. But in this situation, there was a failure on the part of the system.

According to me, the airline should have flown the child on the next direct flight. They should have an SOP in such a situation, as per which they should become more aware and receptive. Secondly, if so many people are saying something that is in disagreement with the airline’s representative, he needs to involve his seniors.

Sensitivity of People The Only Good Thing to Come Out Of This Sad Story

The nicest thing to come out of this sad story was the sensitivity of people. There was not a single person apart from the manager who said that the child should not be allowed to board.

Every passenger on the boy’s flight said that they had no problem with the child flying in the same plane. Most people in the airport didn’t know what kind of special needs the child had. But they had the empathy and understanding that he required a special kind of care.

It was just this manager and his ego that did not permit the child to board. “You are stuck now because of your ego,” almost everybody told him, but he didn’t listen.

DGCA constitutes 3 member fact finding committee 

After outrage over an incident of alleged discrimination against a child with disabilities by IndiGo airlines, India's aviation regulatory body, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Monday, 9 May, constituted a 3-member team to conduct a fact-finding probe. The team will visit Ranchi and Hyderabad to conduct the investigation.

"The fact-finding team will visit Ranchi &Hyderabad and collect appropriate evidence within one week from today. Based on the outcome of the said inquiry, further action shall entail," DGCA said in a statement.

This comes hours after Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Monday, 9 May, said in a tweet, "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."

NCPCR Takes Cognisance of the Incident

Meanwhile, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said in a tweet, “An incident of misbehaviour with a specially-abled child by staff of IndiGo at Ranchi airport has come out. Cognisance is being taken for appropriate action.”

Source: The Quint

Indigo boy, my child — Travelling with autism (Indian Expresss)

Shubhra Gupta writes: How long will it take for us to realise it is not just about him, that we all need the wind beneath our wings?