NEW DELHI — India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has convened a high-level meeting following a significant security lapse where three Italian nationals departed from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport without undergoing mandatory immigration clearance. The incident, which occurred on September 4, has put both Air India and the Civil Aviation Ministry under scrutiny.
MHA Demands Answers on Immigration Breach
The MHA has summoned top officials from Air India, including Group Head P. Balaji and the CEO, along with the Secretary and Additional Secretary of the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, and the Delhi airport CEO. Home Secretary Govind Mohan is slated to chair the crucial meeting at Kartavya Bhawan.
The ministry has also instructed the Civil Aviation Ministry to prepare a detailed presentation addressing violations of the ‘Hub and Spoke’ policy, which allows passengers to complete immigration at their origin airport for connecting international flights.
Details of the Lapses
The three Italian passengers initially flew from Amritsar to Delhi on an Air India flight. From Delhi, they were scheduled to board a Lufthansa flight to Munich. Sources indicate that the passengers were issued boarding passes for both legs of their journey in Amritsar, suggesting a procedural misstep.
Crucially, this specific Amritsar-Delhi-Munich route was reportedly not covered under Air India's 'Hub-and-Spoke' immigration model. This meant the passengers should have exited through the arrival area in Delhi and completed immigration before proceeding to their international connection. Instead, they were directed to the international transfer area, bypassing the necessary immigration counters entirely.
Show Cause Notice Issued to Air India
In response to the serious procedural lapses, the Civil Aviation Ministry has already issued a show cause notice to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson. The notice demands an explanation for the alleged failures and asks why punitive action should not be taken against the airline. Air India has been given seven days to provide a written response.
This incident highlights critical gaps in airport security and immigration protocols, raising concerns about passenger processing and the enforcement of aviation policies at major Indian airports.