Passengers Eating On Tarmac: Govt Slaps Hefty Fines On IndiGo & Mumbai Airport

Pics courtesy ANI

New Delhi: The Union Civil Aviation ministry has imposed hefty fines on IndiGo airline and Mumbai airport over a shocking incident of passengers having food on the airport tarmac.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) fined IndiGo Rs 1.20 crore, while the BCAS and Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a penalty of Rs 90 lakh on Mumbai airport operator MIAL (Mumbai International Airport Ltd).

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) asked IndiGo and Mumbai Airport to explain after videos and images of stranded passengers sitting on the tarmac beside an aircraft and having meals in Mumbai, went viral on social media.

Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia convened a late-night meeting with ministry officials on Monday to address critical concerns.

The bizarre incident was a consequence of extensive flight disruptions caused by dense fog at Delhi airport, which affected flyers at other airports connecting the national Capital too.

“Both Indigo and Mumbai airport were not proactive in anticipating the situation and making the appropriate facilitation arrangements for passengers at the airport,” the aviation ministry’s statement said.