An Air India staffer has been suspended after three Italian passengers travelling from Amritsar to Delhi boarded a Delhi-Munich flight without completing mandatory immigration clearance.

Three Italian Passengers Bypass Immigration

The incident took place earlier this month when the three Italian nationals travelled from Amritsar to Delhi and subsequently boarded a flight to Munich without undergoing the required departure immigration process at Delhi airport.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday that an investigation had identified an Air India employee as responsible for the lapse. The staffer was assigned to escort passengers through designated airport pathways but failed to follow the prescribed procedures.

The employee was suspended immediately after being found at fault, the minister said.

Civil Aviation Ministry Issues Show-Cause Notice

The incident prompted the Civil Aviation Ministry to issue a show-cause notice to Air India, seeking an explanation over how the passengers were able to proceed towards an international departure without completing the mandatory immigration process.

Authorities have since reviewed the passengers' entire journey, including boarding-pass issuance, passenger routing, segregation and movement at the connecting airport.

The role of DigiYatra in the passenger movement process is also being examined as part of the review.

Additional Checks At Transfer Points Under Review

Following the lapse, the government is examining additional safeguards at airport transfer points. These include closer verification of boarding-pass indicators and physical checks by ground staff.

The review is aimed at ensuring that multiple layers of checks are in place instead of relying on a single verification point.

Naidu said the government was looking at operational and security procedures for passengers travelling on connecting international flights to prevent similar incidents.

Hub-And-Spoke Model Under Scrutiny

The incident comes as the government expands its hub-and-spoke model for international travel.

Under the system, passengers can complete immigration and customs formalities at their originating airport before connecting to an international flight through a major hub such as Delhi.

The model is currently operational from Varanasi, Amritsar and Ahmedabad. It is intended to make international connections easier for passengers while supporting India's ambitions to strengthen its position as an international aviation hub.

Security Procedures Cannot Be Compromised

Naidu said the model is designed to improve passenger convenience, particularly for families who would otherwise have to transfer between domestic and international terminals at a major airport.

However, he stressed that mandatory immigration and security procedures must remain in place.

The government is now reviewing passenger movement and transfer procedures to identify gaps and strengthen checks at connecting airports.