Go First fined Rs 10 lakh for leaving passengers behind
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) handed Go First airline a fine of Rs. 10 lakh on Friday for taking off and leaving behind 55 passengers at the Bengaluru airport earlier this month, according to the news agency PTI. The civil aviation regulator had issued a notice to the airline for "multiple mistakes" right after the incident and ordered an explanation.
Why does this story matter?
The DGCA's action comes at a time when the Indian aviation sector is under scrutiny due to recent on-board incidents. One of the most outrageous incidents occurred last November on an Air India flight from New York to Delhi, when a drunk man allegedly peed on a fellow passenger. This, along with a few other incidents, sparked a massive squabble, prompting DGCA to intervene.
Go First's poor coordination, communication between teams
As per DGCA, Go First's reply stated that there was unfitting coordination and communication between the commercial staff, terminal coordinator, and crew members regarding boarding passengers in the aircraft. It also added that the company failed to provide adequate arrangements for ground handling, flight dispatch, preparation of load and trim sheet, and cargo/passenger handling.
Go First's Delhi-bound flight takes off leaving 55 passengers behind
On January 9, Go First's G8 116 left for Delhi from Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport around 6.30 am, leaving 55 passengers behind in one of the four buses that drove passengers to the aircraft. As per reports, these passengers were later accommodated on a flight that left at around 10 am, four hours later.
Go First called it an 'inadvertent oversight'
The airline later apologized for the incident and labeled it as an "inadvertent oversight." Go First reportedly offered the affected fliers one ticket to travel anywhere in India for free within the next year. Furthermore, the airline also de-rostered the entire crew involved in the incident. The DGCA alleged "multiple mistakes such as lack of proper communication, coordination, reconciliation and confirmation" were at play.
DGCA's Rs. 10 Lakh fine on Air India
Previously, DGCA fined Air India Rs. 10 lakh for not reporting an incident on its Paris flight and stalling in referring the issue to its internal committee, which violates the application of DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements. Earlier, it also sent a show cause notice to the accountable manager and questioned why enforcement action shouldn't be taken against them for the negligence in their duties.
