Aviation regulators impose Rs 2.70 Crore fines on IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Mumbai Airport Operator

On Wednesday, aviation regulators BCAS and DGCA issued penalties totaling Rs 2.70 crore on IndiGo, Mumbai airport operator MIAL, Air India, and SpiceJet for various violations.

In response to a widely-shared video depicting IndiGo passengers having food on the Mumbai airport tarmac, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) imposed fines of Rs 1.20 crore on the airline and Rs 60 lakh on MIAL. Additionally, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) levied a penalty of Rs 30 lakh on the airport operator.

Separately, DGCA imposed penalties of Rs 30 lakh each on Air India and SpiceJet for their failure to comply with pilot rostering regulations during flights in low visibility conditions. This punitive action follows significant flight disruptions at Delhi airport due to dense fog, leading to low visibility conditions, more than two weeks ago.

The imposition of substantial penalties on airlines and an airport operator in a single day by BCAS and DGCA is a rare occurrence. It comes against the backdrop of recent measures taken to minimize fog-related disruptions at Delhi and other airports.