The story so far: On July 22, aviation regulator Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) released an amended set of rules for enabling travel for individuals with disabilities.
The new provisions explicitly states that a disability cannot be a ground for an airline to deny boarding to a passenger. However, should the airline perceive that the passenger’s health may deteriorate mid-air, it would have to seek a doctor’s opinion categorically mentioning the medical condition. Accordingly, it has to be determined if the passenger is fit to fly. If not, the reasons need to be specified in writing.
The previous version of the rules neither stated that a disability cannot be a ground for refusing to board a passenger nor made it obligatory to seek a medical opinion. It merely stated that if an airline refuses to carry a passenger with a disability or reduced mobility, they must specify their reasons in writing, describing how “transportation of such persons may be inimical to the safety of the flight.”
