If you’re one of those people that often hold up flights, you just might be charged for it. Air India has decided to introduce a fine for unruly passengers who end up delaying flights. They will be levying a fine of Rs 5 lakhs for delaying a flight for one hour, Rs 10 lakhs for a two hour delay and Rs 15 lakhs beyond that time limit.
The reason Air India has done this is because of recent incidents, all involving politicians. Not too long ago, Ravindra Gaikward of the Shiv Sena beat up a staffer with his sandals; another politician, incensed at the fact that her wheelchair-bound mother was asked to vacate the emergency seats as per protocol, created a ruckus and delayed the flight. The difference between incidents caused by the common man and those by politicians is that the latter get away with it.
It’s a great thing that Air India has done something like this. In fact, there should be a few more fines involved, not just for the politician class who throw their weight around, but for general passengers as well, who disregard rules and etiquette. Sometimes, fines like this are the best deterrent in the absence of common sense.
