Supreme Court to examine plea that systemic blind spots in aviation boom left disabled travellers stranded

The petition referred to recent media reports of a wheelchair-dependent passenger who was allegedly offloaded in Delhi while connecting from a Frankfurt flight. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) decided to ask the Union government why millions of passengers with disabilities continue to face humiliation, barriers, broken equipment, and digital exclusion in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets.

A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued formal notice to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Airports Authority of India, the Central Industrial Security Force, and the Digi Yatra Foundation on a petition filed by Turab Chimthanawala, a company secretary and advocate based in Mumbai, who suffers a benchmark disability called Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis.

Advocate Ashutosh Senger, for Mr. Chimthanawala, submitted that India was presently the third-largest aviation market globally, with annual passenger traffic exceeding 350 million passengers. Yet, persons with disabilities (PwD) face denial of accessible aviation infrastructure and services, restricting their fundamental right to travel independently and with dignity.