DGCA Issues Show Cause Notice To Air India After An 80-year-old Man Dies At Mumbai Airport

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday slapped a notice to Air India, owned by the Tata Group, for not following the rules regarding aircraft safety. This notice came after an 80-year-old passenger collapsed and died at Mumbai airport on February 12. It's reported that there was a shortage of wheelchairs, and the passenger's husband, who also needed one, ended up walking 1.5 km and collapsed at the immigration desk.

Air India explained that they had asked the passenger to wait for a wheelchair, but he chose to walk with his wife. Sadly, he was rushed to the hospital but couldn't be saved.

"In an unfortunate incident, one of our guests flying from New York to Mumbai on 12th February 2024 fell ill while proceeding to clear immigration with his wife, who was on a wheelchair. Due to heavy demand for wheelchairs, we had requested the passenger to wait till he was also provided with wheelchair assistance but he opted to walk along with his spouse," reads the official statement of Air India group.

In response, the DGCA has asked all airlines to ensure enough wheelchairs for passengers who need them during boarding and disembarking.