DGCA issues notice to Air Sahara

The government has reacted strongly to a report of a disabled person who was not allowed to board an Air Sahara flight on Monday evening in Chennai without first getting a fit-to-fly certificate. The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a notice to the managements of SpiceJet and JetLite (Air Sahara's new name) asking for an immediate explanation. The airlines could face action if the DGCA is not satisfied with its reply. Rajeev Rajan is someone who fights for the rights of the disabled worldwide but Air Sahara denied him a boarding pass to fly from Chennai to Delhi. He suffers from cerebral palsy but does not require an escort for travel. Rajan says the airline authorities insisted on an escort and a fitness to fly certificate and called the police to evict him.

His repeated pleas that he is a frequent flier and ought to be treated with dignity went unheard. When Rajeev contacted another airline, SpiceJet, they too refused him a ticket. "This is a gross violation of a person's basic human rights. He had a valid ticket and was on time. This is an apartheid of a different kind," said Rajul Padmanabhan, director, Vidya Sagar. Doctors say cerebral palsey patients ought to be allowed to fly independently. Only those in extreme condition and who travel for treatment will require a doctor's certificate and an escort. This is the second such incident in the recent past. Last year an autistic child was denied admission into an Air Deccan flight in Bangalore. However, there is more shocking evidence of the shocking discrimination. It said the airline will not be responsible for their life and property.

Rajiv also recounts his experience three years ago when he was forced to take a sedative pill on board. But what is even more shocking is that there is no clear guidelines on who shouldn't be allowed to board the aircraft. There are just directives in terns of priority to the physically disabled and every airline determines its own policy towards those with motor or neuro disability. Now Rajeev has decided to approach the consumer court and file a PIL as well. While so much is being talked about making our airports disabled friendly, what is urgently required is a change in mindset. JetLite said that the passenger Rajeev Rajan was left at the Chennai airport counter by someone. It said that when the ground staff asked about his destination and other details he could not reply. "After several attempts the airline staff, it seems, found out that he had to travel from Chennai to Delhi but by then the flight had left.

So he was shifted to SpiceJet but then again the passenger could not 'satisfactorily' answer their queries," it added. "Assuming he would not be able to understand the safety instructions on board, or read the airport signages he was 'advised' against travelling alone," the airlines further clarified. After a day of silence, SpiceJet has said that Rajeev did not approach them directly but Air Sahara had asked SpiceJet if a wheel chair passenger could be accommodated but they turned down the request because of no inter-airline passenger agreement. SpiceJet also says on its 83 flights a day around 1.5 wheel chair passengers fly per flight per day. Now, there is a call from disabled rights activists for clear cut guidelines. With no awareness on disability among ground level staff it is an insensitive discrimination apartheid of a different kind. Airliners often look at disabled people as a nuisance to fellow passengers. With the Ministry of Civil Aviation stepping in, activists are hoping that this will protect their rights and give them the dignity they deserve.

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