Air India passenger turns unruly mid-air, abuses co-flyer minutes before landing on Amritsar–Delhi flight

Air India passenger turns unruly mid-air, abuses co-flyer minutes before landing on Amritsar–Delhi flight

Air India on Saturday said that a passenger on its flight AI454 from Amritsar to Delhi behaved in an unruly manner and was handed over to security after landing.

A passenger on Air India flight AI454 from Amritsar to Delhi was handed over to security after behaving in an unruly manner, the airline said on Saturday.(Wikimedia Commons)

“During cabin preparations for landing, a member of our cabin crew noticed a passenger standing in the aisle, engaged in a verbal altercation with another passenger. The second passenger reported to the crew that the individual was being abusive,” the airline said in a statement.

It said that the cabin crew acted promptly, de-escalating the situation by relocating the second passenger to a business class seat for the remainder of the flight.

“Following a complaint by the second passenger, the pilot-in-command notified our security team on the ground about the situation, who were present upon the flight’s arrival in Delhi. The disruptive passenger was handed over to the airport security for further investigation,” the spokesperson added.

Reaffirming its stance on safety, the airline said, “Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards disruptive behaviour and prioritizes the safety and well-being of all passengers and crew. We will fully cooperate with the relevant authorities, and the matter is now under their purview.”

Rules laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are in place to address disruptive and unruly behaviour by passengers on board. These include the requirement for the airline to form an internal committee to decide on appropriate action, which may include placing the passenger on a no-fly list.

Air India has faced several high-profile incidents of unruly passenger behaviour over the past two years, prompting regulatory scrutiny and internal disciplinary action. These cases, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assault and public indecency. 

On November 26, 2022, a shocking incident aboard a New York–Delhi flight made national headlines when an inebriated male passenger allegedly urinated on a female co-passenger in the business class section. 

The airline was criticised for failing to report the matter promptly to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), leading to a ₹30 lakh fine.