The Civil Aviation Ministry has issued a show‑cause notice to Air India after three Italian passengers departed Delhi airport without completing the required immigration process earlier this month. The notice, addressed to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, seeks an explanation for the alleged procedural lapses.
The passengers travelled from Amritsar to Delhi on 4 September and were issued boarding passes at Amritsar for both the Delhi and subsequent Lufthansa flight to Munich. Because the Amritsar‑Delhi route does not fall under Air India’s ‘Hub‑and‑Spoke’ model, the passengers were expected to exit the arrival area, complete immigration at Delhi, and then board the international flight.
After landing in Delhi, the passengers were directed to the international transfer area, which prevented them from reaching the immigration counter. Consequently, they boarded the Lufthansa flight to Munich without having fulfilled the immigration requirement.
The Home Ministry will convene a meeting on 15 September chaired by Home Secretary Govind Mohan to discuss the incident. Attendees will include the Civil Aviation Ministry’s Secretary and Additional Secretary, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, the Additional Secretary (UT and Foreigners) at the Home Ministry, the Bureau of Immigration Commissioner, Air India’s CEO, and the Delhi Airport CEO.
Air India and Lufthansa operate an interline partnership, allowing passengers to book connecting flights across airlines under a single itinerary.
