A division bench, comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Pankaj Mithal, stressed that airport personnel must possess the skills and understanding needed to assist passengers with physical disabilities respectfully and compassionately.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday(12th Nov) directed airport authorities to provide comprehensive sensitivity training to staff to better support passengers with disabilities.
A division bench, comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Pankaj Mithal, stressed that airport personnel must possess the skills and understanding needed to assist passengers with physical disabilities respectfully and compassionately.
The Court particularly recommended training for airport staff in category B, focusing on equipping them to assist individuals with disabilities effectively in any difficulties they encounter.
“We dispose of the writ petition with an emphasis on sensitizing airport staff to show greater compassion towards physically disabled passengers. Staff in category B should receive periodic training to enhance their ability to assist these passengers effectively,” stated the Court in its order. With this, the petition was disposed of.
Additionally, the Court adopted guidelines jointly formulated by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to promote the inclusion of disabled persons in society. The guidelines will be included in a detailed order.
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These mandatory guidelines, the Court noted, will not be limited to wheelchair users or persons with disabilities but will extend to elderly passengers who may require wheelchair assistance at airports.
“The guidelines do not replace existing assistance for disabled passengers; rather, they supplement the support already provided,” the Court clarified.
The Court’s decision came in response to a plea by Arushi Singh, who has a 75 percent disability in her legs. In her plea, Singh recounted an incident at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, where she was asked multiple times to stand during security checks despite her disability. She noted a lack of assistance at the kiosk, where she was left to maneuver independently in her wheelchair without support.
She also highlighted the absence of female staff to assist, leading to her eventual filing with the Supreme Court after sharing her experience on social media.
Case Title: Arushi Singh vs Union of India.
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