Lok Sabha Question No. 4709 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-21
Subject: Verbal Altercations during Flights
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Manickam Tagore B

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 4709

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  21st August 2025 )

## VERBAL ALTERCATIONS DURING FLIGHTS

## 4709.    SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a)  the  disciplinary  or  legal  procedures  being  followed  by  airlines  in  case  passengers  are engaged in verbal or physical altercations during flights;
- (b) whether specific guidelines have been issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regarding preventive and responsive actions to be taken by cabin crew in cases of unruly behaviour and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the circumstances under which a passenger can be temporarily banned from flying and the due process followed before placing an individual on the no-fly list;
- (d) whether there is a prescribed time limit within which airlines must report cases of in-flight assault or misconduct to relevant authorities or the DGCA and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has a centralised mechanism to track repeat offenders or unruly passengers across airlines and enforce coordinated travel restrictions, if necessary and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  the  legal  rights  and  protections  available  to  air  passengers  in  the  country  in  cases  of physical assault, harassment or discrimination on board?

## ANSWER

## Minister  of  State  in  the  Ministry  of  CIVIL  AVIATION            (Shri  Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) to (c): In order to ensure safety of the aircraft/persons/property on board, good order & discipline  and  to  handle  the  unlawful/disruptive  behavior  on-board  the  aircraft,  Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), Section 3Air Transport, Series M, and Part VI titled 'Handling of unruly / disruptive passengers'. The CAR classifies unruly behavior into three levels based on the severity of their misconduct. Based  on  the  recommendation  of  the  Internal  Committee,  formed  in  accordance  with  the CAR, such passengers may face a flying ban, with its duration determined by the level of misconduct.

;

Whenever an airline receives a complaint of unruly behavior from the pilot in-command, the incident may be referred by the airlines to an Internal Committee to decide the duration of the ban.  The  Internal  Committee  is  required  to  decide  the  matter  within  a  period  of  30  days. Pending  decision  of  the  Internal  Committee,  the  concerned  airline  may  ban  such  unruly passenger from flying, but such period may not exceed a period of 30 days.; ; (d):  All  airlines  are  required  for  reporting  the  incident  of  passenger  misconduct/passenger rage/ unruly behaviour to DGCA in accordance with the provisions of Cabin Safety Circular 01 of 2025, issued by DGCA within 24 hours of the incident.; ; (e): As per the provisions of the aforementioned CAR, airline has to maintain a database of the passengers who have been recommended by the internal committee for flying ban. The same has to be informed to DGCA and other airlines. DGCA places the passenger in 'No Fly list',  wherein  the  unruly  passenger  is  banned  from  taking  flights  to/from/within  India  for  a specific period.; ; (f): Any act, which is considered offence on the ground and invites penal action as per law, is also  an  offence  if  committed  on-board  aircraft.  An  aggrieved  passenger  may  also  file

- grievance or complaint with the local authorities.

******