India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on 23 February released draft amendments to the Aircraft Rules, 1937 that would allow authorities to bar disruptive passengers from all Indian-registered airlines for up to 24 months. The proposal forms part of a new “zero-tolerance” framework that also standardises how carriers classify offences, train crew and report incidents to law-enforcement agencies.
Under the draft, offences are grouped into three tiers: Level 1 (verbal harassment), Level 2 (physical aggression) and Level 3 (life-threatening behaviour). Maximum bans rise from the current three, six and twelve months respectively to six, twelve and twenty-four months. Repeat offenders could face double penalties. Airlines must refer cases to an internal committee within 24 hours and upload details to a central DGCA database that feeds a unified no-fly list.
The regulator was spurred by a 37 percent year-on-year jump in disruptive-passenger reports in 2025, culminating in a widely publicised incident aboard a Goa-Delhi flight where a passenger assaulted cabin crew over seating disputes. Global mobility managers have complained that ad-hoc blacklists across different Indian carriers create uncertainty for relocating staff; a harmonised list would let HR teams conduct single compliance checks.
![India’s DGCA Proposes Two-Year No-Fly Ban for Unruly Passengers]()
For organisations juggling travel documentation alongside tightening in-flight conduct rules, VisaHQ can lighten the load. Through its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the service helps mobility managers and individual travellers obtain visas, monitor passport validity and stay ahead of regulatory changes—ensuring that administrative oversights don’t compound the risks of a potential no-fly listing.
Industry reaction has been mixed. Full-service carriers welcome clearer procedures but low-cost airlines fear additional administrative burdens. The Federation of Indian Airlines has asked DGCA to clarify whether foreign carriers operating to India must honour the list. Traveller-rights groups meanwhile urge proportionality, noting that lengthy bans could jeopardise employment for migrant workers whose only route home is by air.
Stakeholders have 30 days to submit comments before DGCA finalises the rules. Corporations should review employee travel policies, incorporate conduct clauses and brief travelling staff—especially project teams on intensive shuttle routes—about the heightened consequences of in-flight misbehaviour.
Under the draft, offences are grouped into three tiers: Level 1 (verbal harassment), Level 2 (physical aggression) and Level 3 (life-threatening behaviour). Maximum bans rise from the current three, six and twelve months respectively to six, twelve and twenty-four months. Repeat offenders could face double penalties. Airlines must refer cases to an internal committee within 24 hours and upload details to a central DGCA database that feeds a unified no-fly list.
The regulator was spurred by a 37 percent year-on-year jump in disruptive-passenger reports in 2025, culminating in a widely publicised incident aboard a Goa-Delhi flight where a passenger assaulted cabin crew over seating disputes. Global mobility managers have complained that ad-hoc blacklists across different Indian carriers create uncertainty for relocating staff; a harmonised list would let HR teams conduct single compliance checks.
For organisations juggling travel documentation alongside tightening in-flight conduct rules, VisaHQ can lighten the load. Through its India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the service helps mobility managers and individual travellers obtain visas, monitor passport validity and stay ahead of regulatory changes—ensuring that administrative oversights don’t compound the risks of a potential no-fly listing.
Industry reaction has been mixed. Full-service carriers welcome clearer procedures but low-cost airlines fear additional administrative burdens. The Federation of Indian Airlines has asked DGCA to clarify whether foreign carriers operating to India must honour the list. Traveller-rights groups meanwhile urge proportionality, noting that lengthy bans could jeopardise employment for migrant workers whose only route home is by air.
Stakeholders have 30 days to submit comments before DGCA finalises the rules. Corporations should review employee travel policies, incorporate conduct clauses and brief travelling staff—especially project teams on intensive shuttle routes—about the heightened consequences of in-flight misbehaviour.
