India’s aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued a show cause notice to Air India over the incident at the Mumbai airport which led to the death of an 80-year-old man.
The notice has been issued to the airline for not complying with the provisions of the relevant Civil Aviation
What happened at the Mumbai airport
An 80-year-old passenger from the US collapsed at the Mumbai airport and later died after he was forced to walk from the plane to the terminal in the absence of a wheelchair, which he had requested for in advance.
According to the airline’s statement, the passenger’s wife was given a wheelchair, and staff requested him to wait while they organised another one. However, he opted to walk to the terminal alongside his wife instead.
“Babu Patel (80 years) accompanied his spouse Narmadaben Patel (76 years). Both passengers had booked wheelchairs. The passengers were requested to wait as there was a high demand for wheelchairs. One wheelchair was available… and Patel decided to start walking along with his wife on a wheelchair,” Air India said. The airline added that he collapsed near the APHO office.
Subsequently, a doctor at MIAL was summoned, and following an examination of the passenger, it was determined that hospitalisation was necessary, with CPR administered. The passenger was swiftly transported to Nanavati Hospital via an MIAL ambulance. Upon examination at the hospital, the doctor conveyed that the passenger had not survived, as per Air India’s statement.
Air India reported in its statement that Babu Patel passed away upon the arrival of AI-116 from New York on February 12. “In an unfortunate incident, one of our guests flying from New York to Mumbai on February 12, fell ill while proceeding to clear immigration with his wife, who was on a wheelchair,” the airline said.
The airline is maintaining regular communication with the family members of Patel, providing essential support. They also highlighted their established policy of offering wheelchair assistance to all passengers who pre-book such services.
DGCA’s response
Following the incident, the regulator has instructed all airlines to ensure an ample supply of wheelchairs for passengers needing assistance during boarding or disembarking from aircraft throughout their journey. According to its Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), the regulator stipulated that airlines are obligated to provide assistance to individuals with disabilities or reduced mobility.
(With PTI inputs)
