Slap heavy penalties on unruly airline staff: Parl panel

Taking note of instances of unruly behaviour by airline staff, a Parliamentary panel has suggested that heavy penalties should be imposed on such people as well as strictest possible action be initiated against them.

Besides, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has called for putting in place a proper monitoring system to check the behaviour of employees of airlines.

In a report tabled in Parliament last week, the panel noted that despite mechanisms put in place, the Civil Aviation Ministry's role in containing the discourteous, rude, arrogant and aggressive behaviour of airlines staff with passengers is far from satisfactory.

"Almost all airlines have introduced a 'No-Fly' list for the unruly passengers, but when it comes to the turn of airlines to contain their unruly staff, they escape from their responsibility by saying that necessary training is being imparted upon. It is very essential that the airlines have to adopt consumer-friendly approach," it said.

The committee emphasised that it desires that the ministry shall ensure that strictest possible action is taken against unruly staff and heavy penalties imposed on them.

India is the fastest growing domestic aviation market in the world and has been registering double-digit growth for over straight months.

According to the panel, training given to airlines staff should be more effective, intensive and thorough.

"There should a proper monitoring system in place to check the behaviour of employees of airlines," it added.

Further, the committee said it is of the considered view that the ministry should have an effective mechanism to monitor and regulate all airlines to ensure that passengers are not affected adversely due to lapses and shortcomings of the airlines concerned as well as penalise them as the situation warrants.

The panel has also sought an upper cap on airfares in each sector to discourage predatory pricing ways of airlines.

There have been concerns in various quarters about high airfares even as the ministry has been maintaining that air ticket prices are neither controlled nor approved by the government.