Passenger abuses, assaults Air India crew members, handed to security
A passenger onboard a Goa-Delhi Air India flight on Monday abused crew members and assaulted one of them unprovoked, ANI reported, quoting the airline's spokesperson. After the flight landed at the Delhi airport, the passenger continued his aggressive behavior, following which he was handed over to the security personnel. The incident has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Air India strongly condemns unruly behavior of passenger: Spokesperson
In a statement, the spokesperson said that Air India strongly condemned the unruly behavior of the passenger, adding, "Safety of our crew and passengers is of utmost importance." Unruly behavior, such as physical gestures, verbal harassment, and unruly inebriation, is classified as Level 1, as per the rules, while physically abusive behavior, such as pushing, kicking, or sexual harassment, is classified as Level 2.
Elderly passenger abused crew members after suffering panic attack
The incident comes just weeks after a senior citizen traveling business class with his wife on a Newark-Mumbai Air India flight on May 19 suffered an anxiety attack that left him screaming and demanding the flight doors be opened. He allegedly also tried to strangle his wife in a frenzied state. His panic attack lasted for around seven hours before doctors sedated him.
Youth arrested after hitting crew member
On April 11, an Air India flight headed to London from Delhi turned around 15 minutes after taking off when a passenger hit a female crew member and pulled another crew member's hair. The passenger, identified as 25-year-old Jaskirat Singh from Punjab's Kapurthala, was handed over to security personnel after landing and was later arrested by the police.
Air India was fined Rs. 30 lakh for inadequate action
An incident from November 2022 of a passenger urinating on an elderly co-passenger on Air India's New York to Delhi flight made headlines in January this year after the aggrieved person highlighted the lackadaisical approach of the airline. Days later, the DGCA fined the airline Rs. 30 lakh, the highest penalty on any airline to date, and suspended the pilot's license for three months.
