Tata Group-owned Air India’s liquor policy has come under public scrutiny after a drunk passenger allegedly urinated on a woman on one of its international flights.
The incident, in which a Mumbai-based businessman Shekhar Mishra allegedly urinated on a female co-passenger, who was a senior citizen in her seventies, in the business class of Air India New York-New Delhi flight on November 26, 2022, has caused reactions across all spectrums.
The airline also took cognizance of the incident with Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran admitting that they “felt short of addressing the situation” and that their response should have been “much swifter.”
The airline is currently reviewing its liquor policy, airline’s chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director Campbell Wilson said on Saturday.
“Air India is deeply concerned about the in-flight instances where customers have suffered due to the condemnable acts of their co-passengers on our aircraft. We regret and are pained about these experiences, Wilson said in a statement.
“Air India acknowledges that it could have handled these matters better, both in the air and on the ground and is committed to taking action,” he added.
Let’s take a look at Air India’s liquor policy guidelines
????A passenger cannot be served more than 2 drinks on a flight that is less than 4 hours duration.
????If the flight is longer than this, liquor can increase proportionately, i.e. one drink per every additional hour of flying.
????A person cannot bring their own liquor and people should only be served alcohol at their seats.
????Only one drink can be served at a time and people under the age of 18 will not be allowed to consume alcohol.
????Once a passenger is served three drinks, there must be a break of at least 3 hours before he or she can get additional drinks.
????The airline staff have been advised to stop the service of alcohol to people already intoxicated.
After the incident, DGCA pulled up the Tata Group-owned full service carrier and sought an explanation as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for “dereliction of their duties”.
Detailing the incident, Air India told DGCA that its cabin crew received a complaint from a female passenger on board AI 102 on November 26, 2022 that a male co-passenger had soiled her clothes and bags by relieving himself near the seat she was in. The crew assisted the female passenger to a different seat in the same class and provided a set of dry clothes and slippers.
The accused Shankar Mishra was arrested by the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday.
Mishra has also been banned from flying on Air India for 30 days, pending a report of its Internal Committee.
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