Archive · 15 Sep 2026
Civil aviation ministry notices Air India over immigration security lapse
Three Italian passengers traveled through New Delhi on their way to Munich.
They had first arrived from Amritsar on an Air India flight.
They were given boarding passes meant for a domestic journey.
However, airport staff sent them to an area used for international transfers.
This meant they did not complete the required immigration check.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said Air India had not followed its procedures.
It called the mistake a serious safety lapse.
The ministry gave Air India seven days to explain what happened.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation issued Air India a show-cause notice on September 12.
Three Italian nationals flew from New Delhi to Munich without mandatory immigration clearance.
The passengers arrived in New Delhi from Amritsar on September 4.
They were issued domestic boarding passes but incorrectly escorted to an international transfer area.
The ministry called the incident a serious safety lapse and requested a response within seven days.
- Who
- The Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India, and three Italian nationals were involved.
- What
- The ministry issued Air India a show-cause notice over passengers boarding an international flight without mandatory immigration clearance.
- When
- The incident occurred on September 4; the notice was issued on September 12.
- Where
- The incident involved Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, with travel from Amritsar to New Delhi and onward to Munich.
- Why
- The ministry said Air India violated standard operating procedures by mishandling the passengers and failing to ensure immigration clearance.
- Airline
- Air India
- Passengers involved
- Three Italian nationals
- International route
- New Delhi to Munich
- Initial arrival
- The passengers arrived in New Delhi from Amritsar on an Air India flight.
- Incident date
- September 4
- Notice date
- September 12
- Response deadline
- Air India was asked to respond within seven days.