Air India flight to London returns midway to Delhi after unruly passenger fights with flight crew

A Delhi-London Air India flight (AI-111) had to turn around, shortly after take-off, due to an 'unruly' passenger onboard. The passenger reportedly had a fight with flight crew members mid-air. 

A complaint has been lodged against the passenger with the Delhi Airport Police. The passenger is currently at the Delhi Airport police station. 

According to India Today sources, the passenger turned violent and hit two cabin crew members. The flight then turned back to Delhi and landed at 9:40 am. The flight, with 255 passengers, had taken off from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and was on its way to London Heathrow airport.

“Not heeding to verbal and written warnings, the passenger continued with unruly behaviour including causing physical harm to two of the cabin crew members. The pilot in command decided to return to Delhi and the passenger was handed over to the security personnel upon landing," stated an Air India spokesperson, further adding that the flight has been rescheduled for Monday afternoon. 

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This is the latest case in a long list of cases of passenger aggression that have been reported in recent times. One of most prominent cases took place in November last year in which a drunk man reportedly peed on his co-passenger on an Air India flight. The case has since moved to the court. 

The woman who was peed upon has now moved the Supreme Court, seeking guidelines on ‘unruly’ and ‘disruptive behaviour’ in airplanes as well as a change in alcohol policy. She also said that the airline – Air India – along with the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) failed to treat her with care and responsibility. 

In yet another recent case, a drunk 40-year-old male passenger was arrested for trying to open the emergency door flap mid-air on an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Bengaluru. In another recent case, a drunk passenger vomited on the aisle of a Guwahati-Delhi IndiGo flight and defecated all around the toilet, as tweeted by a co-passenger. 

Separately, last month, two drunk passengers onboard a Dubai-Mumbai IndiGo flight were arrested for allegedly hurling abuses at crew and co-passengers.

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