The Center today issued show cause notices to IndiGo Airlines and the Mumbai Airport after a video of passengers eating on the airport tarmac went viral on social media.
Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday convened a late-night meeting with ministry officials to address serious concerns within the aviation industry.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has requested comprehensive responses from both IndiGo and Mumbai Airport by the end of the day.
Videos and images circulating on social media on Monday showed stranded passengers sitting on the tarmac next to a plane in Mumbai, casually enjoying a meal. The strange sight was the result of massive flight disruptions at Delhi airport due to dense fog the previous day.
“Both IndiGo and Mumbai Airports were not proactive in anticipating the situation and providing appropriate accommodations to passengers at the airport,” a statement from the aviation ministry said.
The ministry pointed to specific lapses in its response to the situation. For example, the aircraft has been assigned a remote bay (C-33) instead of a contact stand, which is suitable for passengers to walk to and from the plane from their assigned boarding gate, the statement said.
Upon receiving this notice, IndiGo said it has launched an internal investigation into the incident.
“IndiGo has already initiated an internal investigation to address this matter and will respond to the notification in accordance with protocols,” the company said in a statement.
For the past two days, Delhi’s IGI Airport witnessed scenes of utter chaos as stranded passengers faced long delays. Shouts and slogans echoed through the terminal as frustrated travelers voiced their displeasure. In response, airport personnel and ground staff worked tirelessly to manage the situation and assist affected passengers.
After hundreds of flights arriving and departing from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport faced long delays due to dense fog over the past two days, Mr. Scindia yesterday said the ministry has put in place measures to avoid such situations in the future. announced that it would take action.