DGCA issues show cause notice to Air India over inordinate flight delays

New Delhi [India], May 31 : The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to Air India on Friday for inordinate flight delays and failure to take care of passengers.
Air India is directed to respond within three days or face potential enforcement action.
"Whereas, it has come to the notice of DGCA that flight Al-179 dated 24.05.2024 and flight Al- 183 dated 30.05.2024 were inordinately delayed and passengers were put to discomfort due to insufficient cooling in the cabin. Further, repeated incidences of passengers being put to discomfort by M/s Air India in violation of various DGCA CAR provisions have come to notice," the DGCA notice read.
"Whereas perusal of available information reveals that Air India has violated the provisions of Para 3.4 and Para 3.8 of CAR Section 3, Series M, Part lV on "Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights". Air India is time and again failing in taking due care of passengers and compliance of aforementioned CAR," it added.
The regulator further asked Air India, "Why enforcement action shall not be initiated against the airline for the aforesaid violation".
"The reply of Air India should reach this office within 03 days from the date of issue of this notice, failing which, the matter would be processed ex-parte," it added.
An official said that Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia took strict cognizance of flight delays and inconvenience caused to passengers, and subsequently, DGCA issued the show cause notice.