Husband-wife fight forces Lufthansa's Bangkok-bound flight to divert to Delhi
A Bangkok-bound Lufthansa flight from Munich, Germany, reportedly landed in Delhi after a diversion on Wednesday due to the "unruly behavior" of a passenger onboard. The crew of the airline's LH772 opted to land at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after a German man allegedly started fighting with his Thai wife. The pilots also informed Air Traffic Control (ATC) about a "situation and possible unruly passenger" after the woman reportedly complained to them.
Why does this story matter?
The incident comes at a time when several mid-air incidents involving unruly and drunk passengers are being reported. The Indian aviation sector is also facing criticism due to similar onboard incidents. In October, Malayalam actor Divya Prabha filed a complaint with the Kerala Police, alleging harassment by an intoxicated fellow passenger on Air India's Mumbai-Kochi flight. Several incidents involving inflight smoking and passenger misbehavior, too, have surfaced in recent months.
Drunk passenger deboarded, handed over to authorities: Lufthansa
In response to the incident, a Lufthansa spokesperson said, "The person in question was handed over to the authorities. Safety and security on board for our passengers and crew are our top priority." According to reports, the Thai woman reportedly told the pilot that she was "threatened" by her husband and requested assistance. The troublesome passenger, who seemed intoxicated, was eventually removed from the flight after intervention from IGI airport officials and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Last reported diversions in Lufthansa flights
Similar incidents aboard Air India flight in October
In a similar event, a man was arrested for allegedly making inappropriate comments toward crew members on an Air India flight on October 6. The FIR filed in connection with the incident revealed that the accused began making lewd remarks and verbally abusing others on the plane. The situation was similar to that which Malyalam actor Prabha encountered aboard a Kochi-bound flight last month. However, she alleged that no further action was taken during the flight, despite her complaint.
