No consensus at meeting to finalise no-fly list regulations

A crucial meeting on Wednesday at the civil aviation ministry on the issue of finalising rules for a national no-fly list for unruly passengers was reportedly inconclusive, according to news agency reports, as top civil aviation ministry officials held consultations on whether airline crew and ground staff should also be covered in the list.

As reported earlier by this newspaper, the civil aviation ministry is anxious to ensure that rude airline ground staff at airports, as well as cabin crew on board aircraft, do not use no-fly regulations to intimidate or harass passengers with genuine grievances.

In May, the government had announced draft amendments in rules to tackle unruly or disruptive passengers on board Indian domestic carriers and to form a “national no-fly list”.

The first proposed level — categorised as “disruptive behaviour” — refers to physical gestures, verbal harassment and unruly behaviour and is punishable by a ban on flying for three months. The second level of misbehaviour pertains to “physically abusive behaviour” including “kicking, pushing, hitting, grabbing inappropriate touching and sexual harassment” which is punishable by a ban for six months. The proposed third level pertains to “life-threatening” behaviour including damage to aircraft, murderous assault, and breach of cockpit security” which is punishable by a ban on flying for two years or more.