Air India urination incident: Airline announces change to in-flight liquor policy

In the wake of multiple untoward incidents on its flights, Air India has modified its in-flight alcohol service policy. Cabin crew have been told to tactfully refuse serving alcohol if needed.

According to the revised policy, 'Alcoholic beverages must be served in an appropriate and safe manner. This also includes refusing to serve alcohol (further) to the guests." Air India said in a statement on Tuesday.

Air India faced heavy backlash, including from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, for its poor handling of the back-to-back incidents of unruly behaviour of passengers on its flights.

"We have reviewed our existing in-flight alcohol service policy taking reference from other carriers' practice and input from the US National Restaurants Association's guidelines. These were largely in line with Air India's existing practice, though some adjustments have been made for better clarity," the Air India said.

The airline has also included NRA's Traffic Light system to help the crew recognise and manage possible cases of intoxication.

"The new policy has now been promulgated to crew and included in training curricula. Air India remains committed to the safety and well-being of our passengers and cabin crew, including but not limited to the responsible service of alcohol," the statement added.

Regarding the alleged urination case in the New York-New Delhi flight on November 26 last, Air India has closed its internal inquiry into the matter. Also, it will assist the chief pilot in his appeal against the suspension of the license by the DGCA.

The DGCA suspended the license of an Air India pilot for 3 months in connection with the incident of urination in the aircraft. Air India was fined Rs3 million (Dh135,140) and the director of in-flight services of the airline was fined Rs300,000 (Dh13,516) too.

Earlier on Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a penalty of Rs1 million (Dh45,054) on Air India for not reporting incidents of passenger misbehaviour to the regulatory body during the Paris-New Delhi flight on December 6, last year, and delaying in referring the matter to its Internal Committee. The aviation body said the matter is a violation of applicable DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements.

In a statement, DGCA said that action was taken on the incident of passenger misbehaviour which occurred on the AI-142 flight dated December 6, 2022, from Paris to New Delhi, came to the notice of DGCA wherein one passenger was caught smoking in the lavatory, was drunk and not adhering to the crew instructions; and another passenger allegedly relieved himself on a vacant seat and blanket of a fellow female passenger when she went to the lavatory.

DGCA had issued a show cause notice to the Accountable Manager of Air India as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations.

Earlier on November 26 last year, a man named Shankar Mishra allegedly urinated on a 70-year-old woman co-passenger in an inebriated condition in business class of an Air India New York-New Delhi flight, but the incident was not reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which was attributed to the delay in reporting the incident by the airline crew.

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