New Delhi, Sept 8: The Centre has devised three offence categories to put unruly passengers on a 'No-Fly List' , with the most severe one, 'life threatening behaviour including assault', carrying a minimum ban on flying for two years.
The most severe punishment is in the 'Level 3' category, which includes 'damage to aircraft systems, in addition to 'life threatening behaviour and assault'. '.
After that is 'Level 2', for 'physically abusive behaviour (pushing, kicking, hitting, and inappropriate touching)'. The ban on flying for this category is up to six months. And a 'Level 1' offence, for 'unruly physical gestures, verbal harassment and unruly inebriation' carries a ban on flying for up to three months.
An independent committee under a retired district judge will decide on whether a passenger has committed an offence that outs him or her on the 'No-Fly List'. A decision will be made within a within a period of 30 days from the alleged offence.
"The No-Fly ban will be in addition to any statutory legal action that can be taken against the offender under existing laws," tweeted aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
In addition, "if the Ministry of Home Affairs informs us about a certain individual then that person will also be added to the No-Fly List," said the civil aviation regulator.
It wasn't clear whether these guidelines will be enforced retroactively, or only going forward.
If it's the former, it would appear a 'Level 3' offence can be applied to Shiv Sena Parliamentarian Ravindra Gaikwad, who in March assaulted an Air India staffer aboard a plane. The same would apply to TDP Parliamentarian JC Diwakar Reddy who allegedly damaged property of Indigo Air in June this year.
"The motive behind the 'No-Fly List' is the safety and security of passengers, which is our priority," said Jayant Sinha, minister of state for civil aviation, while announcing the list of offences that can put passengers on the 'No-Fly List'.
"We tried to achieve a balance for the safety of the crew, the passengers and the aircraft," said Sinha, adding that this was the first policy of its kind in the world.
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