IndiGo and the Mumbai Airport faced considerable fines imposed by the civil aviation authorities due to a breach of apron discipline when passengers, following a flight diversion, were seen eating on the tarmac, an act which went viral on social media. In response to the videos that surfaced, the Mumbai Airport was slapped with a ₹90 lakh penalty, whereas IndiGo faced a heftier sum of ₹1.20 crore. This episode was separately investigated alongside penalties levied on Air India and SpiceJet for infractions related to fog delays.
BCAS, the regulatory body overseeing civil aviation security, handed out the penalties while the DGCA also imposed additional sanctions. In the wake of IndiGo flight 6E2195’s diversion to Mumbai, passengers were allowed to deplane onto the tarmac. The unscheduled remote bay parking coupled with delays likely led fatigued passengers to take the unorthodox step of consuming their meals on the ground. Both the airline and airport were deemed not proactive in preventing an event considered to be a security hazard.
IndiGo’s management acknowledged the incident, which occurred on January 15, and the necessity of internal review procedures. It was noted that due to the fog-induced diversion, the passengers ended up stranded on the tarmac of Mumbai airport, leading to an unusual sight of them having food just steps away from the parked aircraft. The DGCA cited this as counter to established safety protocols and reflective of improper preparedness for adverse weather conditions. The agencies underscored the significance of qualified pilot rostering for low visibility conditions which SpiceJet and Air India reportedly failed to adhere to. Consequently, each of these airlines was fined ₹30 lakh as stringent regulatory actions continue to shape the safety landscape of Indian aviation.