Airlines need policies to prevent passengers’ inebriation

In response to a petition by a passenger before the Supreme Court, who experienced an incident of inebriated behaviour on an Air India flight, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) emphasised the need for airlines to have policies in place to prevent passengers from becoming inebriated and engaging in disruptive behaviour.

As per the DGCA, in India, there isn’t a specific maximum limit on the number of alcoholic drinks that can be served to passengers on flight. Instead, it is left to the discretion of individual airlines to formulate policies regarding alcohol consumption on their flights.

The petitioner urged the Supreme Court to direct the DGCA to establish a ‘zero tolerance’ policy and enforce strict rules for dealing with unruly behaviour on flights. The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) outlined by the DGCA do address the handling of unruly passengers, but they don’t explicitly state a set limit on alcohol consumption. However, it is implied that airlines should ensure passengers do not become intoxicated to the point of causing nuisance or disruption.