Akasa Air Fined ₹10 Lakh for Denying Boarding to Passengers on Bengaluru-Pune Flight
Akasa Air has been fined ₹10 lakh by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for refusing to board seven passengers on a Bengaluru-Pune flight. The incident occurred on 6th September when flight QP 1437, initially scheduled to depart from Bengaluru International Airport at 8:50 PM, was delayed due to damage caused by a foreign object to the Boeing MAX aircraft. The plane was replaced, but due to nine non-operational seats, seven passengers were denied boarding.
Although the airline accommodated the affected passengers on another flight, it failed to provide the necessary compensation. According to the DGCA, Akasa Air violated provisions outlined in the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section-3, Series M, Part IV. The regulator imposed a fine under Rule 162 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, for non-compliance and mandated the penalty be paid within 30 days of the demand notice.
An Akasa Air spokesperson acknowledged the penalty and stated, “We acknowledge receipt of an order by the DGCA dated December 23, 2024. We continue to work closely with the DGCA to address this matter and enhance our protocols as required by the regulator.”
This penalty follows two recent showcause notices issued to Akasa Air by the DGCA. The first was related to poor maintenance standards after a spot-check at Bengaluru Airport, and the second for failing to revise the operations manual within the required six-month period.
Additionally, Akasa Air has recently faced issues with its pilots, who have accused the airline of malpractice impacting their safety. Pilots have alleged threats from a senior official if they reported sick and claimed trainers were instructed to fail pilots. There were also accusations regarding delayed approvals, affecting the airline’s operations. Akasa Air has stated it is working with the regulator to address these concerns.
News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”
