New Delhi: A total of 447 passengers have been placed on India’s No-Fly List since 2017 for disruptive and unruly behaviour onboard commercial aircraft, according to official data released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The figures underscore the persistent challenge of inflight passenger misconduct confronting airlines across the country’s rapidly expanding aviation sector.
The database covers individuals barred from flying since the Directorate General of Civil Aviation established dedicated regulatory guidelines to address unruly fliers in 2017. Under the Civil Aviation Requirements framework, passenger misconduct is classified into three distinct tiers of severity, ranging from verbal abuse and physical aggression to life-threatening disruptions. Airlines determine the duration of temporary or prolonged flight bans based on findings submitted by an independent internal inquiry committee.
The disclosure comes amid heightened scrutiny over passenger rage, verbal altercations with cabin crew, and non-compliance with aviation safety norms that jeopardize aircraft operations. Under regulatory directives, including the Cabin Safety Circular issued in 2025, air carriers must report any inflight misconduct or passenger disruption to aviation authorities via email within 12 hours, followed by a comprehensive written incident report within 24 hours of landing.
While the Directorate General of Civil Aviation maintains the central registry based on submissions from airlines, the ministry’s recent figures do not include an airline-specific or annual breakdown of the 447 banned travellers. The data also does not disclose whether legal or punitive actions beyond travel bans were pursued against the individuals involved.
