The court monitoring the rights of people with disabilities has ordered the aviation regulator to ensure that the websites of airlines and travel portals are accessible to people who are visually impaired, failing which they should be barred from selling air tickets.
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“If the travel agents fail to do so, then the DGCA shall not allow them to sell air tickets on any websites throughout the country. The DGCA should also levy fines for non-compliance by the airlines or the travel agents,” the Court of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has said, according to the record of proceedings uploaded on Tuesday. The January 5 order to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also directed the regulator to submit a report on action taken within 30 days.
The court has also directed the aviation regulator to ensure that persons with disabilities are able to indicate the special assistance they require at the airport. After a petition said that people with disabilities were unable to carry out web check-ins, because regulatory norms bar them from using emergency exit row seats, the court has also said that they should be able to avail web check-in on the remaining seats.
The order was based on a petition by Amar Jain, founder of an NGO called Mission Accessibility.