DGCA has put forward a new proposal to stop misuse of wheelchair facility, in which a fee will be charged if there is no need. Suggestions for this have been sought till 19 September.
To prevent misuse of wheelchair facilities at airports, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has put forward a new proposal. The proposal states that airlines can charge some fee from those who are physically fit and still want to use a wheelchair.
DGCA has sought suggestions from the people on this draft rule (Civil Aviation Requirement or CAR) by September 19. It is written in the draft that airlines can charge assistance fees from those passengers who are not disabled or who do not have trouble walking but still want to avail the service of a wheelchair.
People take wrong advantage of wheelchair facility
This change comes ahead of the hearing in the Bombay High Court on September 25. In April this year, the High Court had constituted a committee headed by a retired judge to study the availability of wheelchairs at airports and the problems faced by the elderly or people with special needs.
The court had said that such facilities are a “basic human right” for these people. But airlines say that many times physically fit people misuse this facility so that they can avoid long queues at places like immigration. Many times many people in a single flight ask for wheelchairs, which is difficult to fulfill.AirlinesThis makes it difficult for people who really need a wheelchair.
Special car drop-off points for passengers
DGCA’s proposal states that providing wheelchairs is a shared responsibility of airlines and airport operators. According to the draft rule, airport operators will have to create special car drop-off points for passengers who have booked wheelchairs. Also,Inside the terminalSuch places will also have to be decided. This will ensure that needy passengers can easily avail the facility.
Airlines say that many times people book wheelchairs without any need, just so that they can avoid long queues at the airport. This not only creates problems for the airlines, but also for those who are in dire need of wheelchairs. This step by DGCA is an attempt to reduce this problem. The proposal also states that this service can be improved by charging fees from those who misuse the wheelchair facility. This will increase the availability of wheelchairs for those who really need it.
This step is an effort towards making air travel more inclusive. But some people believe that it is important to take the opinion of all parties before implementing such rules. That is why DGCA has sought suggestions from the people, so that all aspects can be considered before finalizing the rule. This change will help in improving the facility not only for passengers but also for airlines and airports.
