India, April 22 -- The Bombay high court on Monday strongly criticised the shortage of wheelchair assistance at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), calling it a matter of "human dignity" and suggesting that heavy penalties be imposed on airlines failing to provide adequate facilities.

A division bench comprising Justice Girish S Kulkarni and Justice Advait Sethna was hearing two separate petitions-one filed by a 50-year-old woman suffering from arthritis, and another by a 53-year-old man-both highlighting the serious difficulties they faced due to the lack of wheelchair support at the international airport.

The woman, who travelled to Colombo with her 80-year-old mother in September 2023, said she experienced seve...