DGCA fines Air India $37,000 over 'peegate', Pilot-In-Command suspended for 3 months

Air India has been fined Rs 30 lakh (about $37,000) for the way it handled the unruly passenger who peed on an elderly woman on a New York-Delhi flight. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced the decision on Friday.

The Tata group-owned airline has been under fire for the November 26 incident, in which a male passenger, Shankar Mishra, while apparently inebriated, allegedly urinated on a female co-passenger.

The Pilot-In-Command has also been suspended for three months on grounds that he failed to discharge his duties. A fine of of Rs 3 lakh has also been levied on AI's Director-in-flight services.

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The airline had earlier been sent a show-cause notice in the matter. The airline’s Accountable Manager, Director in-flight Services, all the pilots and cabin crew members of that flight need to respond as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for failing to fulfill their regulatory obligations.

Also Read |Who is Shankar Mishra, the man accused of urinating on an elderly co-passenger

Mishra has already been banned by Air India for four months from flying with the airline. The decision was reached following an enquiry by an internal committee.

Mishra, who was a senior executive at US financial services firm Wells Fargo, since been fired by the company. He was later arrested by the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on January 7, and was sent to 14-day judicial custody.

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran had earlier issued a statement, accepting that Air India should have responded to the situation more swiftly.

"The incident on Air India flight Al102 on November 26th, 2022, has been a matter of personal anguish to me and my colleagues at Air India," he said.

“Air India’s response should have been much swifter. We fell short of addressing this situation the way it should have been," he added.

Even though the incident took place in November, it came to light only recently, causing public outrage over the negligence as the authorities assured to take action.

Chandrasekaran stated that the Tata group and Air India are committed to ensure passengers' well-being and safety.

“The Tata group and Air India stand by the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew with full conviction. We will review and repair every process to prevent or address any incidents of such unruly nature," the statement added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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