An internal committee constituted by Air India for probing a shocking incident in which an inebriated male passenger urinated on a female co-passenger, recommended to put the male passenger on 'no-fly list', an aviation company official said on Wednesday.
The matter is now under a government committee and the decision is awaited, he added.
"We are seeking a report from the Airline and shall take action against those found negligent," said Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Authorities swing into action
"An FIR is being registered after an inebriated male passenger urinated on a female co-passenger in Air India's business class on November 26. The matter was reported to Air India by a female passenger, after which a complaint was given to the police on behalf of Air India on December 28," Delhi Police official said.
The incident took place in business class on November 26, 2022 when the flight was on its way from JFK (US) to New Delhi, news agency ANI quoted Air India official as saying. Following a police complaint, an inquiry was carried out, he added.
Air India releases statement
Air India Statement on the incident where a man urinated on a female passenger in a business class of a New York-Delhi Air India flight on November 26
"Air India has taken a very serious view of the incident, where a passenger behaved in an unacceptable and undignified manner on the New York-Delhi flight that caused extreme distress to a fellow passenger. A police complaint has already been lodged and Air India is committed to assist the law enforcement agencies as well as regulatory authorities. As a first step, Air India has banned the passenger for 30 days, the maximum it is permitted to unilaterally do so, and reported the matter to the DGCA for further action. We have also constituted an internal committee to probe lapses on part of Air India’s crew and address the deficiencies that delayed quick redressal of the situation. We are also in regular contact with the aggrieved passenger and her family during the investigation and reporting process.”
Bangkok-Kolkata flight mid-air fight
A similar embarrassing incident was reported in late December after a video surfaced on social media in which an ugly fighting between passengers broke out before the take-off of the A320 Koklata-bound plane from Bangkok on December 26. In the clip, a male passenger was being slapped multiple times by a few male co-passengers as one of the passengers refused to adjust his chair.
Stepping into the matter, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that a police complaint has been filed against passengers who did not follow protocol and fought mid-air on a Bangkok-Kolkata Thai Smile Airways flight.
"With regard to the scuffle between passengers on board a Thai Smile Airways flight, a police complaint has been filed against those involved. Such behaviour is unacceptable," Union Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia tweeted.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) filed a police complaint regarding the scuffle between. The security watchdog said the police have already started its investigation, and further action will follow.
