Food on tarmac row: Scindia says security compromised; Mumbai airport incident unacceptable, hence penalties issued

Days after video of IndiGo passengers having food on Mumbai airport tarmac went viral, aviation security regulator BCAS slapped fines of Rs 1.20 crore on the airline and Rs 60 lakh on airport operator

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia during inauguration of Wings India 2024, Asia's largest event on civil aviation (Commercial, General and Business Aviation), at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, on Thursday, January 18, 2024. PTI

PTI

Hyderabad, January 18

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said incidents like passengers having food on tarmac at Mumbai airport were unacceptable and that penalties were imposed.

The safety and security of citizens is primary for the government, he said.

“Within hours of being informed or getting to know of that incident happening, beyond midnight, a meeting was held with all officials within the ministry. The showcause notice was issued immediately,” he told reporters here during the Wings India 2024 that began here today.

The fact that passengers were inconvenienced and that they had to eat on the tarmac, apart from security being compromised across all points was unacceptable, he said.

The minister pointed out that within three to four hours, notices were issued and within 24 hours, the necessary penalties were levied.

“This or any incident like this is unacceptable for us. Therefore, penalties were issued,” he said.

He added that two separate Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) were issued.

“This, certainly, what happened was unacceptable and it was a shameful incident. I don’t mind saying that very, very clearly,” he said.

Aviation regulators BCAS and DGCA on Wednesday slapped penalties totalling Rs 2.70 crore on IndiGo, Mumbai airport operator MIAL, Air India and SpiceJet for various violations.

Days after a video of IndiGo passengers having food on the Mumbai airport tarmac was widely shared, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) slapped fines of Rs 1.20 crore on the airline and Rs 60 lakh on MIAL. The DGCA imposed a penalty of Rs 30 lakh on the airport operator, according to separate orders.

Separately, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had slapped a penalty of Rs 30 lakh each on Air India and SpiceJet for their failure to comply with the rostering of pilots for operating flights in low visibility conditions.

The penal action comes more than two weeks after significant flight disruptions were witnessed at the Delhi airport due to dense fog that had resulted in low visibility conditions.