Mumbai: Several Indian carriers banned standup comedian Kunal Kamra for heckling
television anchor Arnab Goswami after aviation minister Hardeep Puri asked them to
follow IndiGo’s example in a tweet.
The airlines were also acting on verbal directions from ministry officials, said people with knowledge of the matter. The minister told ET he’d called for a ban as the video evidence was clear and Kamra’s actions posed a safety threat. Under the rules, any allegation of midair misbehaviour by passengers has to be investigated by an internal committee set up by the carrier concerned. Based on the findings, the aviation regulator places a person on a no-fly list and other airlines follow suit.
“In this incident, the guy is shooting a video of the person — Arnab in this case, but it can be anyone — and trying to instigate him and even going to the extent of using fourletter words,” the minister told ET. “The person kept quiet in this case, but if the other person got instigated and there was a case of fisticuffs inside the aircraft, it could have become a safety issue. The airline must have done their internal inquiry & took a decision.”
He added: “As far the issue of rules is concerned, they are that airlines hold an inquiry upon the complaint of a pilot-in-command before banning anyone. That is to ensure that the airlines do not ban passengers arbitrarily. This case, however, is totally different, as there is a video proof.” After IndiGo banned Kamra for six months on Tuesday, state-owned Air India imposed an indefinite ban the same evening. Lowfare carriers SpiceJet and GoAir followed on Wednesday with indefinite bans.
Executives at AirAsia and Vistara said they would wait for a written directive from the government before taking action. Some experts said the ban was excessive for the degree of offence that may have been committed.
The Civil Aviation Rule (CAR) on such offences “is explicit,” a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official told ET. “The airlines will have to follow procedures. IndiGo will have to form a committee and decide on Kamra.” Executives at the carriers that imposed bans said government officials had asked them to take note of the minister’s tweet and ban Kamra. “It’s the minister’s order. Even if it’s in the form of a tweet, we have to follow,” said an executive.
31/01/20 Mihir Mishra/Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times
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The airlines were also acting on verbal directions from ministry officials, said people with knowledge of the matter. The minister told ET he’d called for a ban as the video evidence was clear and Kamra’s actions posed a safety threat. Under the rules, any allegation of midair misbehaviour by passengers has to be investigated by an internal committee set up by the carrier concerned. Based on the findings, the aviation regulator places a person on a no-fly list and other airlines follow suit.
“In this incident, the guy is shooting a video of the person — Arnab in this case, but it can be anyone — and trying to instigate him and even going to the extent of using fourletter words,” the minister told ET. “The person kept quiet in this case, but if the other person got instigated and there was a case of fisticuffs inside the aircraft, it could have become a safety issue. The airline must have done their internal inquiry & took a decision.”
He added: “As far the issue of rules is concerned, they are that airlines hold an inquiry upon the complaint of a pilot-in-command before banning anyone. That is to ensure that the airlines do not ban passengers arbitrarily. This case, however, is totally different, as there is a video proof.” After IndiGo banned Kamra for six months on Tuesday, state-owned Air India imposed an indefinite ban the same evening. Lowfare carriers SpiceJet and GoAir followed on Wednesday with indefinite bans.
Executives at AirAsia and Vistara said they would wait for a written directive from the government before taking action. Some experts said the ban was excessive for the degree of offence that may have been committed.
The Civil Aviation Rule (CAR) on such offences “is explicit,” a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official told ET. “The airlines will have to follow procedures. IndiGo will have to form a committee and decide on Kamra.” Executives at the carriers that imposed bans said government officials had asked them to take note of the minister’s tweet and ban Kamra. “It’s the minister’s order. Even if it’s in the form of a tweet, we have to follow,” said an executive.
31/01/20 Mihir Mishra/Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times
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