Air India horror: 'Aggrieved lady rescinded initial request for action,' airline tells DGCA

In a fresh twist to the incident involving an unruly passenger on an Air India flight, the airline on Thursday told Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it had not summoned law enforcement as aggrieved lady rescinded initial request for action. The airline also told the aviation regulator that the aggrieved lady and the alleged offender 'appeared' to have sorted out the issue, so the incident was not reported. 

On November 26, an inebriated male passenger had urinated on a female co-passenger during a flight from New York to Delhi, according to reports. Air India also told DGCA that the aggrieved female passenger has been refunded full fare of the flight. 

Sources with direct knowledge of the matter said Air India on Thursday sent a reply to the DGCA's January 4 notice, detailing the incident that happened on board AI 102 flight of November 26, 2022, PTI reported. It stated that the unnamed business class offender has been banned from flying on Air India for 30 days, pending a report of its Internal Committee.

The committee had obtained the necessary documentation and held its first hearing, sources said, quoting from Air India's reply. The alleged perpetrator had requested for additional documents prior to a second hearing scheduled for January 10, they said.

Meanwhile, a senior DGCA official said, "We are examining their (Air India's) response."

The crew reportedly assisted the woman passenger to a different seat in the same class and provided a set of dry clothes and slippers. The female passenger initially requested that action be taken against the offender upon arrival. However subsequently, she rescinded her request after the two parties appeared to have sorted the matter out between them, Air India told DGCA.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police on Thursday said that the man who allegedly urinated on an elderly woman co-passenger onboard an Air India flight from New York to Delhi was a resident of Mumbai and will be arrested at the earliest. "The accused is a resident of Mumbai, but his possible location is in some other state and the police team has reached there. We will arrest the accused at the earliest," said Delhi Police.

Delhi Police on Wednesday registered an FIR and formed several teams to nab the passenger who urinated on a co-passenger onboard an Air India flight from New York to Delhi, officials said.

Air India on Wednesday said it has imposed a 30-day flying ban on the passenger who had urinated on a co-passenger onboard a flight from New York to Delhi in November last year and set up an internal panel to probe whether there were lapses on part of the crew in addressing the situation.

Separately, aviation regulator DGCA said it has sought a report from the airline on the incident and will ''take action against those found negligent''.

(With PTI inputs)

Also Read: Man who urinated on woman onboard Air India flight will be arrested soon: Delhi Police