DGCA issues civil aviation requirements for disabled passengers

Chennai: The Office of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued new civil aviation requirements for disabled passengers that are scheduled to come into effect from Wednesday.
According to the new requirements, “no airline shall refuse to carry physically challenged or incapacitated persons or persons with disabilities,” as long as they “do not pose a threat” to the safety of other passengers or the evacuation procedure for the aircraft.
Airlines will also not be permitted to limit the “number or types” of disabled passengers on a particular flight, except “where required for operational reasons.” The procedure for limiting disabled passengers will also be documented. Airlines will now also have to run “sensitisation and developing awareness” training programmes for staff.
There have been increasing calls from rights groups for clearer guidelines on the transportation requirements of disabled passengers following the prevention of Rajeev Rajan — a cerebral palsy patient and activist with Vidyasagar, a non-governmental organisation for the disabled — from boarding an Air Sahara flight in Chennai on June 18 for failing to produce a medical certificate.
In an effort to clarify aviation requirements for disabled passengers, the DGCA issued a draft on July 25 on its website, specifying the new guidelines for airlines and “inviting comments” on the new recommendations. The DGCA said the new recommendations were to come into effect on August 15.
16/08/07 Ananth Krishnan/The Hindu

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Categories: General Aviation Aug 2007