Court Rejects Call for Aviation Media Guidelines

The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition seeking official guidelines for media reporting on aviation incidents, a move aimed at curbing premature speculation and unfounded blame directed at pilots. The Public Interest Litigation was filed by advocate M. Pravin.

In his plea, Pravin highlighted that media outlets often publish unverified reports following aviation accidents, risking damage to pilots' reputations while impacting their mental well-being. He cited an incident from June 12, 2025, where media prematurely attributed blame to the flight crew.

Pravin's petition called for confidential handling of preliminary findings and safeguards for pilots, but the court decided against mandating new measures, leaving the issue unaddressed and maintaining the current state of media reporting freedom.

(With inputs from agencies.)