Delhi airport denies notice over reports of security lapse involving three Air India passengers to Italy

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has firmly denied receiving any notice demanding a response following a reported security breach involving three Air India passengers traveling to Italy. In response to media reports, DIAL clarified on their official X account that they had not been served with a Show Cause Notice. They emphasized that airport security is overseen by a multi-agency framework and that they are committed to cooperating with all relevant authorities and protocols. The airport requested the public to avoid disseminating unverified information.

The controversy emerged on September 4 when three foreign passengers, believed to be Italian nationals, allegedly boarded their international flight from Delhi to Munich without undergoing proper immigration clearance. The passengers had initially received domestic boarding passes for their Delhi-bound flight, as well as onward Lufthansa boarding passes for their journey to Munich.

According to ministry sources, passengers with domestic boarding passes are typically required to clear immigration as per established procedures. However, these individuals allegedly bypassed immigration checks at the airport and proceeded to the boarding gate via the International-to-International transfer area, ultimately boarding the flight without proper clearance.

Despite the incident, there has been no immediate response from the civil aviation ministry or Air India regarding the matter. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) convened a meeting on Tuesday at Kartavya Bhawan to discuss the incident, with representatives from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Air India group head, and key officials present. The MHA requested the Ministry of Civil Aviation to present their findings on the matter.