Indigo Ranchi incident: Airline fined Rs 5 lakh for denying boy with special needs permission to board flight

IndiGo has been fined Rs 5 lakh for denying boy with special needs permission to board flight from Ranchi. The DGCA panel nearly two weeks ago had issued a show-cause notice to the airline.

"Based on the findings during the enquiry, a show cause notice was issued to IndiGo Airlines through its authorised representative," the DGCA said in a statement.

In view of this, the Competent Authority in DGCA has decided to impose a penalty of Rs 5 lakhs on the airline under the provisions of the relevant Aircraft Rules, the aviation authority said.

"A more compassionate handling would have smoothened the nerves, calmed the child and would have obviated the need for the extreme step resulting in denied boarding to the passengers," it said in a statement.

On May 16, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued the notice after a fact-finding committee found the airline staff prima facie violated regulations.

The airline had on May 9 said the boy was denied boarding as he was "visibly in panic".

As the boy was prohibited from boarding the Ranchi-Hyderabad flight, his parents -- who were accompanying him -- also decided not to enter the plane.

The DGCA had constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the matter.