New Delhi: Even as national carrier Air India on Friday announced it had — on the orders of the civil aviation ministry — lifted the ban on flying Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad who had allegedly beaten up an airline employee on March 23 after a flight, the Government said aviation regulator DGCA was drafting rules for establishing a “National No Fly List” to deal with unruly passengers in a more effective manner. The government “advised Air India and other (private) airlines” to lift the ban imposed on Gaikwad in view of “the apology tendered by Mr Gaikwad and the undertaking of good conduct given by him”.
In a communication to the Air India chief, the ministry said, “In order to deal with unruly passengers in a effective manner in future, an amendment to the Civil Aviation Regulations is being drafted in consultation with this ministry for establishing a ‘National No Fly List’. This is expected to be a comprehensive framework added to civil aviation regulations that will ban unruly passengers from subsequently flying on any airline in the interests of air-safety and aviation security.” Just hours before the ban was lifted, AI officials said Gaikwad had tried to book tickets early on Friday morning.
