GOVERNMENT OF INDIA CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:1919 ANSWERED ON:09.03.2015

FACILITIES FOR DIFFERNTLY -ABLED FLIERS Birla Shri Om

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the facilities being provided to differently-abled fliers at the airports in the country; (b) whether the Government has framed any guidelines/regulations in this regard and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any cases of non-compliance of these guidelines/regulations by the airlines including private airlines have come to the notice of the Government during the last three years and the current year;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken by the Government in these cases; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to ensure compliance of the said guidelines/regulations?

Answer

Minister of State in the Ministry of CVIL AVIATION (Dr Mahesh Sharma)

(a): Various facilities like ramps and aerobridges with smooth anti skid flooring, special cuts and slopes in the pavements, wide sensor fitted/manned doors for easy accessibility, specially designed toilets with proper signages, availability of wheel chair on demand, elevators to allow wheel chairs, facilitation counters, reserved parking spaces with signages and slots with wide spaces specially designed for differently-abled persons are available at Indian airports. Besides, the engraving on zebra crossings is also provided at certain airports.

(b): Yes, Madam. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) - Section 3, Series M, Part-I on ‘Carriage by Air of Persons with Disability and /or Persons with reduced mobility and Air Transport Circular 01 of 2014 on Facilities /courtesies to esteemed travelling public at airports’, specifying the facilities to be provided to differently-abled fliers for travel by air including facilitation at the airports.

(c) & (d): No, Madam. However, in compliance to Air Transport Circular/CAR, airlines/airport operators are required to ensure that all the complaints are acknowledged immediately to the complainant and redressed at the earliest withina month. As per the data submitted by airlines for the month of January, 2015, the complaints received have already been redressed by them.

(e) The complaints data submitted by airlines are analyzed and corrective actions, wherever required, are taken by DGCA on regular basis.