An Air India employee has been suspended following a security and immigration breach that allowed three Italian nationals to board an international flight without completing the necessary departure immigration procedures, Civil Aviation Minister Ranjan Mohan Naidu announced yesterday.
The incident took place earlier this month involving three Italian passengers traveling from Amritsar to Munich via Delhi, operating under India’s hub-and-spoke aviation model. The passengers reportedly boarded the Delhi-Munich flight without undergoing the mandatory departure immigration clearance at the transit hub, prompting the Civil Aviation Ministry to issue a show-cause notice to Air India.
An internal investigation concluded that the Air India staff member tasked with escorting these passengers through designated airport pathways failed to adhere to established protocols. Following the findings, the airline immediately suspended the employee involved.
Naidu emphasized that while the government remains committed to enhancing passenger convenience through streamlined air travel arrangements, including the hub-and-spoke system, airport security and immigration procedures must be maintained without compromise. The incident has triggered a comprehensive review of operational processes associated with connecting international travellers.
As part of this review, the ministry held discussions with Air India and assessed existing safeguards across the entire passenger journey. Authorities are now working to implement a multilayered verification mechanism aimed at preventing similar lapses in the future. The examination specifically targets critical stages such as boarding pass issuance and passenger movement within airport premises.
The hub-and-spoke model, designed to simplify international travel for passengers originating from regional airports, enables travellers to complete immigration and customs formalities at their point of origin before connecting through major hubs. This approach has been expanded as part of the government’s efforts to ease air travel access and improve operational efficiency across the country’s aviation sector.