Parl panel talks tough on ‘unruly behaviour’ of airlines employees

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has suggested heavy penalty and strict punitive action against airline staff for unruly behaviour against passengers.

The committee, in a report last week, also called for the training of the employees to be “more effective and thorough”.

The report, titled ‘Issues Related to Improving Consumers’ Satisfaction of Airlines”, recommended the ministry to ensure that airlines provide training to all their employees, particularly to the ground and cabin crew, to sensitise them so that they could maintain friendly relations with the passengers.

India’s domestic passenger growth has seen a surge in double digits in the past 51 months, according to the International Air Transport Association. At the same time, there has also been an increase in the number of incidents of airlines’ staff behaving rudely with the passengers.

The report noted that the behaviour of the employees hasn’t improved despite standardised guidelines being in place. This, the committee said, shows that the measures are inadequate or poorly implemented, and recommended for a proper monitoring system.

The committee observed that “the ministry of civil aviation’s role in containing the discourteous, rude, arrogant and aggressive behaviour with the passengers”, is “far from satisfactory”.

”..almost all airlines have introduced a ‘No-Fly’ list for the unruly passengers, but when it comes the turn of airlines to contain their unruly staff, they escape from their responsibility by saying that necessary training is being imparted upon,” it said.

The committee said it was essential for the airlines to adopt consumer friendly approach, and asked the ministry to “ensure strictest possible action against unruly staff and heavy penalties (are) imposed on them”.

THE PANEL ASKED THE CENTRE TO ‘ENSURE STRICTEST POSSIBLE ACTION AGAINST UNRULY STAFF AND HEAVY PENALTIES (ARE) IMPOSED ON THEM’.