New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has taken cognisance of the viral video showing passengers eating on the tarmac after their flight was reportedly delayed for over 12 hours and issued show-cause notices to Indigo Airlines and Mumbai Airport.
In both the notices issued by the MoCA’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Indigo Airlines and the Mumbai Airport authorities have been asked to reply by Tuesday, January 16.
Upon failure to reply in the given time, the BCAS has threatened to initiate enforcement action, including financial penalty.
Earlier on Monday, a viral video showed passengers of Indigo’s Delhi-Goa flight having dinner next to the plane on the tarmac of the airport after their flight got delayed by more than 12 hours and diverted to Mumbai.
Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia took note of the video and held a meeting with all ministry officials at midnight on Monday.
Following the meeting, MoCA’s Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) issued show-cause notices to IndiGo and Mumbai Airport on the directions of the minister.
The development comes a day after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued standard operating procedures for airlines to be followed with immediate effect amid chaos over extensive flight delays due to dense fog.
In the new guidelines, the DGCA has stated that airlines may cancel, sufficiently in advance, flights that are expected to be delayed beyond 3 hours.
The aviation authority has also instructed airlines to provide precise real-time updates on flight delays caused by fog.
The information, the DGCA directive said, must be published on the airline’s official website and shared with passengers through WhatsApp, text messages, and email.
Agencies