Air India flight returns to Delhi after passenger hits cabin crews
- IndiaGlitz, [Monday,April 10 2023]
On Monday, Air India had to turn back its AI 111 Delhi-London flight due to the unruly behavior of a male passenger on board. The incident occurred on Flight 786, which took off at 6:52 am on Monday and returned to Delhi at 9:36 am. The flight returned to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi after a passenger had a fight with flight crew members mid-air.
The pilot in command made the decision to return to Delhi after the passenger continued with their disruptive behavior, including causing physical harm to the crew members, despite verbal and written warnings. The said passenger was handed over to security personnel upon landing, and Air India has lodged an FIR against him. The flight had around 225 passengers, and the unruly passenger was de-boarded at the airport, after which the flight took off for London Heathrow.
In recent times, there have been several cases of unruly air passenger behavior, including incidents such as a male passenger allegedly urinating on a female co-passenger and people found smoking in the lavatory of flights. As a result, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken strict action in such incidents, and the airlines have imposed a flying ban on the passengers concerned. Recently, the DGCA chief stated that airlines have the authority to take action against passengers who indulge in unruly behavior on flights. In January, the DGCA penalized Air India twice for incidents related to unruly passenger behavior. A total of 143 passengers have been placed on the 'no Fly List' since 2017.