{
  "id": 9724826,
  "title": "Woman de-boarded over ‘fit-to-fly’ check, Air India to pay Rs 5 lakh to disabled passenger",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/woman-de-boarded-over-fit-to-fly-check-air-india-to-pay-rs-5-lakh-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-25T07:25:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/woman-de-boarded-air-india-pay-disabled-passenger-10893416/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An 80% locomotor-disabled woman, Falguni Maheshwari, was de-boarded from an Air India flight from Delhi to Bhuj after cabin crew requested a \"fit-to-fly\" certificate, causing her significant humiliation and loss of dignity. The Court of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has fined Air India Rs 5 lakh for violating safeguards protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. The incident occurred after Maheshwari boarded her connecting flight from Delhi to Bhuj, where she was asked to provide the certificate mid-boarding. The court emphasized that accessibility, equality, non-discrimination, dignity, and reasonable accommodation are statutory rights, not concessions or benevolence.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "80% locomotor-disabled woman, Falguni Maheshwari, de-boarded from Air India flight",
    "Court fines Air India Rs 5 lakh for violating disability rights safeguards",
    "Incident highlights importance of accessibility, equality, and dignity for disabled passengers"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The ruling sets a precedent that airlines must respect statutory rights of disabled passengers, not treat them as concessions, and Air India now faces financial consequences for failing to do so.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}