Key Points
Three Italian nationals traveled from Amritsar to Delhi on Air India flight AI-1115, then boarded Lufthansa flight LH-763 to Munich without completing mandatory immigration checks.
Though the passengers held domestic ("D") boarding passes, they were reportedly misrouted into Delhi airport's international transfer area instead of being directed to immigration.
The ministry has questioned Air India's ground-handling partner AISATS and sought details on the delayed reconciliation of passenger data, while airport operator DIAL says it hasn't received any notice itself.
THREE ITALIAN NATIONALS reportedly flew from Delhi to Munich, Germany, without completing immigration formalities at Delhi airport on September 4, 2026. Following the incident, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) issued a show-cause notice to Air India, asking the airline to clarify how such an oversight happened under its purview within seven days.
The show–cause notice, dated September 12, 2026, talks about Air India flight AI-1115 from Amritsar to Delhi on September 4, 2026. The three passengers — Surjit Singh, Balwinder Kaur, and Gurdev Singh — later boarded Lufthansa flight LH-763 to Munich at 1:45 am without going through the required departure immigration process, according to the ministry's notice seen by Hindustan Times.
Considering the seriousness of the lapse, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is expected to convene with concerned stakeholders today on September 15, 2026, at 7pm. Senior officials from the MoCA, Bureau of Immigration, Air India, and Delhi International Airport, the airport operator, are likely to attend the meeting.
The hub-and-spoke system, also known as the “Easy Connect” service, permits Air India passengers travelling abroad through Delhi from selected domestic airports to complete immigration at their originating airport. Afterwards, they can then board an Air India international flight from Delhi without undergoing immigration procedures again.
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Passengers eligible for the Easy Connect service are issued a boarding pass for the first flight carrying the special code “I.” This allows them to proceed directly to the international departure gate after landing at the Delhi international airport. Other passengers receive a “D” designator on their domestic boarding pass and are required to technically exit through the arrivals area at Delhi. These codes help the airline and airport authorities distinguish Easy Connect passengers from normal ones.
As per The Indian Express, the three Italian nationals were not eligible for the Easy Connect facility. They were therefore required to exit at Delhi and complete immigration formalities again before boarding their Lufthansa airline flight to Munich. The incident of the Italian nationals bypassing immigration formalities allegedly happened due to oversight and confusion, as the three proceeded directly to the boarding gate alongside Easy Connect travellers, the media report said.
The incident came to light after passenger data was manually reconciled. Following this, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a show-cause notice to Air India on Saturday, September 12, 2026, giving the airline seven days to respond and explain how such an oversight happened. The Tata Group-owned airline has not submitted its response and issued no public statement as of yet.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has sought an explanation from Air India on several issues, including how passengers carrying the “D” designator on their boarding passes were allowed to move through the international transit area of Delhi airport, instead of being directed to the arrivals section.
The ministry has also questioned the role of Air India’s ground-handling partner, Air India SATS Airport Services (AISATS), in managing passengers at Delhi airport. It has sought details about the reconciliation of domestic and international passenger data for the incoming Amritsar flight, which was apparently not completed promptly.
Air India’s hub-and-spoke flights were introduced a few months ago with government support to make one-stop domestic-to-international connections simpler and more convenient for passengers. The service is currently available from Varanasi, Amritsar, and Ahmedabad, with plans to extend it to more airports in the future.
Under the program, passengers can complete check-in and immigration procedures at their originating airport instead of Delhi, Air India’s main hub. Their baggage is also checked through to the final international destination. Ordinarily, passengers making a one-stop domestic-to-international connection must complete immigration at the airport from which their international journey begins.
(Edited by Agniva Ray)
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