Airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata will have to provide free automated buggies for elder, pregnant and disabled passengers.

This is part of first ever comprehensive guidelines on ‘facilities/courtesies to esteemed travelling public at airports’ issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The guidelines lay emphasis on standardised passenger complaint redressal and courteous behaviour of airline and airport staff dealing with passengers. Violation of such guidelines will result in penalty.

The guidelines prescribe “Provision of automated buggies free of charge for all senior citizens, expectant mothers and disabled and  needy passengers in the terminal building to facilitate their access to boarding gates located beyond reasonable walking distance at all airports having annual aircraft movements of 50,000 or more.” Airport operators will also have to provide small trolleys after security check for carriage of hand baggage up to the boarding gate.

All the airlines and operators have been asked to display the details of their nodal officer and appellate authority at various points inside the airport. These details should have names, contact number and email addresses of the officials concerned. Ground-handling staff of airlines and airport operators should also undergo periodic soft skill training for sensitisation, courtesy, behaviour and procedures for assisting the passengers.

All the airlines and airport operators have been asked to report to the DGCA about passenger complaints and any incident of misdemeanour, discourteous behaviour and harassment, along with the action taken.

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