Centre summons Air India CEO over immigration lapse involving three foreign nationals
The central government summoned Air India’s CEO after three Italian nationals departed India without completing mandatory exit immigration at Delhi airport. The action follows a show‑cause notice from the Ministry of Civil Aviation citing a serious security and immigration lapse.
- ✓The central government summoned Air India’s CEO after three Italian nationals departed India without completing mandatory exit immigration at Delhi airport.
- ✓The step comes after the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a show‑cause notice on September 12, labeling the incident a serious security and immigration breach.
- ✓The action follows a show‑cause notice from the Ministry of Civil Aviation citing a serious security and immigration lapse.
The central government summoned Air India’s chief executive after three foreign nationals left India without completing the required departure immigration clearance at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The step comes after the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a show‑cause notice on September 12, labeling the incident a serious security and immigration breach.
The three passengers, all Italian citizens, arrived in Delhi on Air India flight AI‑1115 from Amritsar at 00:50 on September 4 and boarded Lufthansa flight LH‑763 to Munich at 01:45 without undergoing the mandatory exit immigration process. Sources say their boarding passes were marked “D” for domestic, and the ground‑handling agency routed them through an international‑to‑international (I2I) transfer corridor instead of the standard domestic‑to‑international (D2I) pathway, allowing them to bypass immigration checks.
The lapse occurred under Air India’s hub‑and‑spoke “Easy Connect” model, which lets passengers clear immigration in Amritsar before connecting through Delhi. Officials consider the breach a significant security concern, prompting a review of the airline’s standard operating procedures and the role of its ground‑handling partner. The episode underscores operational challenges as Air India expands international connections from secondary airports like Amritsar.
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| Issuing Authority | The Hindu BusinessLine Economy |
|---|---|
| Topic Category | INDIA |
| Jurisdiction | All India / National |
| Publication Date | 14 September 2026 |