Passengers to face ban under three categories as Aviation Ministry unveils 'No-Fly List' rules

New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): The Civil Aviation Ministry on Friday issued India's first "No-Fly list" in an effort to keep blacklisted people off airlines to ensure safety and check unruly behaviour on the aircraft.

Addressing a joint conference, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that steps have been taken in a bid to check disruptive behaviour on aircraft.

Announcing the rules, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha, said that the motive behind this kind of list is to ensure the safety and security of passengers, which is the topmost priority for his ministry.

He said that while devising the no-fly mechanism, the government has given prominence to safety.

"No other regulator in the world has based its no-fly list on safety," he added.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the unruly behaviour by the passengers are divided into three levels and under these levels, passengers can be banned for over two years depending upon the level of misdemeanour.

The DGCA further said that if the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informs them about a certain individual then that person will also be added in the No-Fly List.

No-Fly offence categories: Level 1 - Ban upto three months for unruly physical gestures, verbal harassment and unruly inebriation.

No-Fly offence categories: Level 2 - Ban upto six months for physically abusive behaviour (pushing, kicking, hitting, inappropriate touching).

No-Fly offence categories: Level 3 - Ban for minimum two years for life-threatening behaviour like assaults, damage to aircraft systems etc.

Ashok Gajapathy also took to Twitter to announce the three main categories of the No-Fly offence.

He said that internal committee has to give primary report in 30 days and every airline has to maintain a record of the no-fly list.

"Decision will be taken by an independent committee under a retired district judge within a period of 30 days of alleged offence," he tweeted.

He further said that the No-Fly ban will be in addition to any statutory legal action that can be taken against the offender under existing laws. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI