The Delhi High Court, has today refused to entertain a petition filed by the comedian Kunal Kamra, challenging his travel ban imposed on him by Indigo Airlines, Air India and Vistara.
The bench headed by Justice Navin Chawla while refusing to entertain the petition has further granted liberty to Kunal, to move the appropriate appellate authority for redressal.
On 28 January, Kamra was sitting in row 13 of Indigo flight, while another passenger, whom he wanted to heckle was in row 1. Till the aircraft was on the ground, the heckling was taking place. Subsequently, in February, the Internal Committee of Indigo had put Kunal Kumar in a ‘No Flying List’ for 3 months and consequently banned him from traveling with Indigo Airlines for 3 months. He was intimated of the same via a tweet from IndiGo’s handle.
Thus, Kunal filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court, stating that the travel ban imposed on him was in violation of the Civil Aviation Rules, mentioning that there was a difference between an unruly passenger and unruly behavior.
The High Court while disposing of the writ petition, has further directed the Director-General of Civil Aviation to consider Kamra’s representation within eight weeks. Shortly thereafter, other airlines including GoAir, Air India, and Spice Jet also banned Kamra from flying with them indefinitely.
Aggrieved by the fact that all major airlines of the country had banned him from flying, Kamra moved a second writ petition. He argued that, it was specifically pointed out that in cases of unruly behavior there is a requirement in terms of Clauses 4.7 and 4.9 of the DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements, to give a verbal and written warning followed by a red card notice, which was not done in the instant case. Kamra also sought a direction from the Court to allow him to travel on anyone airline, in case of any medical exigencies etc.
However, the court allowed Kamra to withdraw the petition and move the appropriate Appellate Authority for redressal of his grievance. Subsequently, Kunal withdrew his petition.
