With several complaints of disabled people facing discrimination at the hands airline operators, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has now come up with a guideline asking the operators not to refuse to carry such persons and to come up with provisions on their website that is disabled friendly within three months.

The airlines should incorporate appropriate provisions on their website by June 30 so that while making bookings, passengers with disability have the option to select the required facilities, which he/she will require during the journey, according to the Civil Aviation Rules (CAR) released recently.

“Airlines, including their travel agents, shall not discriminate the persons with disability or reduced mobility in providing access for internet ticketing, special or discounted fares, time limit for holding the bookings, reservations on telephone, etc,” it said.
The rules also said that no airline can refuse to carry passengers in a stretcher or incubator, subject to limitation of aircraft, when they are accompanied by an escort, provided such a person is capable of attending to the passenger’s medical needs while embarking, disembarking, in-flight and emergency evacuation.

Airlines should not insist on medical certificate or special forms from persons with disability or reduced mobility who wish to travel without an escort and only require special assistance at an airport for embarking and disembarking and a reasonable accommodation in flight.

Such certificates should be sought only when such a traveller has some disease or there is a possibility of aggravation of medical condition during flight, among other things, the CAR says.