Flying safe

On December 26, 2022, an outrageous incident occurred on a Delhi-bound Air India Flight from New York — a passenger in an inebriated state reportedly urinated on a fellow lady passenger in midair. The ‘Pee-gate’, now popular in media parlance, is rather a trivialised expression if only one empathises with the victim for all the humiliation, indignity and trauma she suffered for several hours on the flight and until January 4, when finally, FIR was lodged. The conduct of the cabin crew in underplaying the incident by feigning to have ‘settled’ the matter between the victim and the perpetrator is no less disgraceful than the act of the accused. The ‘peacemaker’ role played by the crew adds insult to injury. The proper course of action as per Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) should have been to hand over the accused on arrival to the concerned authorities for necessary action and pursue the matter to its logical end.

A drunken passenger is a potential security threat not only to other passengers but also to the safety of the flight. Taking serious cognisance of the incident, the DGCA promptly issued an advisory to all Airlines instructing the use of hand-cuff-like restraining devices against violent, and abusive passengers. ‘Any noncompliance towards applicable regulations shall be dealt with strictly and invite enforcement action’, the DGCA warned. The intent is appreciable but the execution is not a cake walk especially when most cabin crew members are women staff and untrained in martial arts; they themselves end up as victims at times. It can be quite a daunting job which calls for the professional services of a ‘Peace Martial’ or a ‘Bouncer’ to discipline the assuming miscreants or swashbucklers onboard; as such it will not be a bad idea either, to appoint such security personnel on each flight.

One of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world, India’s domestic traffic is around 69 per cent of the total airline traffic in South Asia. It’s an achievement for India that air travel, once a luxury, is today an affordable necessity for people from almost all classes across the country. When it was around 61 million passengers in 2013-14, it doubled to 137 million in 2019-20. The airport capacity is expected to reach one billion trips a year by 2023. No wonder our domestic terminals are crowded with passengers almost around the year as most of the major airports are operating at 85 per cent to 120 per cent of their capacity. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has presently leased out six Airports on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis for operation, management and development on a long-term lease basis and more are in the pipeline.

However, problems persist with regard to hassle-free travel and comfort of passengers, not to mention sporadic disgusting incidents like the instant one. Unjustifiably inflated airfares, long queues before security check, scrambling for seats before boarding gates, delays and cancellation of flights make air travel more of an adventure. And now they may also have to worry about what is in store for them in midair after takeoff. Incidents of misbehaviour, aggression and even sexual misconduct by passengers, either under influence of intoxicants or otherwise, have been in the air for quite some time, and the frequency is worrisome. Certainly, there are noticeable gaps in the system as a whole that need to be addressed comprehensively through micro-management from a wider perspective. The following few suggestions, though they sound radical, are worth serious introspection.

One of the reasons for inadequate supervision of passengers’ welfare is the congestion at the security check which is mainly due to the allowance of cabin baggage. While it keeps the security personnel neck-deep busy screening, it consumes a great deal of energy and time for the cabin crew in settling the passengers and their overhead luggage. As such, it is impractical to keep an eye on the activities of passengers. Provision for cabin baggage defies logic since both the passengers and their check-in luggage travel on the same flight and arrive at the same time at the destination. Waiting for 10-15 minutes more at the luggage belt is no hassle. Moreover, cabin baggage is a potential source of prohibited articles. So, prohibition of all hitherto permitted cabin possessions — except one cell phone per passenger, food, water, medicines, and life-supporting goods and accessories of infants, children and aged people — is necessary. Secondly, when there are restaurants and eateries in the terminals, onboard service of food and beverage for flights of less than two hours duration is superfluous. It distracts the crew from more important duties and causes commotion in the craft. Thirdly, check-in counters, security check lines and seating arrangements should be made completely separate for women passengers travelling alone, as it will ensure privacy and protection. Fourthly, notwithstanding the enormous non aeronautical revenues of retail airport business globally, rationing of retail shopping outlets in Terminals is important since they create a congested and messy atmosphere due to early check-ins and late exits. The bustling activity distracts passengers from focusing on their journey.

The other immediate measure required is the imposition of a strict ban on serving liquor in various lounges inside and outside of the airport premises and a blanket ban on serving alcoholic beverages on international flights by Indian aviation companies. Quite a few airports and Airlines in the world completely banned the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Liquor when consumed beyond the limits of sobriety is a known cause for unpredictable or inappropriate conduct in human beings.

Aircraft Rules 1937, inter alia, provide an elaborate arrangement for the comfort of passengers that include, preferential seating, meal, snack and drinks, use of lounges, check-in baggage, special care of disabled passengers etc. The passengers’ rights are protected during Flight delays and cancellations by way of compensation, hotel stays, meals, alternate flights, and everything else. The Air Act 1972, casts the liability on the Airlines in case of loss or theft of luggage and accordingly passengers are entitled to due compensation. Complaints are attended to by the Airlines and if not addressed satisfactorily the passengers can approach DGCA and also move to consumer forums under Consumer Protection Act, 1986. In short, air passengers are best looked after vis-a-vis other modes of land travel. However, alongside the Rights, the responsibilities of passengers which are less pronounced now, need to be codified in detail, especially with regard to personal conduct and cooperation with Airline Staff. The rules of the ‘No Fly’ list must be strictly observed without fear or favour since it works as a deterrent. Lenience will only mean mockery of the law.

Recently, an air hostess confronted a passenger onboard and yelled at him, ‘I am not your servant’, when the latter allegedly misbehaved with her. Educating passengers to respect rules and extend cooperation is equally important alongside the protection of their rights. Let’s not forget that until the ’90s smoking was permitted inside the Craft but today it is unthinkable as it’s made a punishable offence. The performance of the aviation sector can be augmented only by ensuring cooperation and collective efforts by all the stakeholders. Awareness about the responsibilities of passengers needs to be factored in alongside indoctrination of professionalism in the ground staff and crew members, for improving flight services and the safety of people.

The writer is a former Addl. Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh. Views expressed are personal