The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has formed a three-member fact-finding committee after reports surfaced of IndiGo Airlines denying a specially-abled child from boarding a Ranchi-Hyderabad flight.
The fact-finding team will reportedly visit Hyderabad and Ranchi and collect the necessary evidence over a period of one week, said officials.
The incident was widely circulated on social media and the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia took note of the same. He took to Twitter to say that there would be zero tolerance to such incidents. “Investigating the matter by myself, post which appropriate action will be taken,” he wrote on the micro-blogging site.
In a statement issued on Monday, IndiGo’s whole-time director and CEO, Ronojoy Dutta, said since April the airlines carried over 75,000 specially-abled passengers, and the airline’s crew and airport staff are trained to serve such passengers sensitively.
“Having reviewed all aspects of this incident, we, as an organisation, are of the view that we made the best possible decision under difficult circumstances. We offer our sincere regrets to the affected family for the unfortunate experience, and as a small token of our appreciation of their lifelong dedication, would like to offer to purchase an electric wheelchair for their son,” said Dutta.