IndiGo Unruly Passenger Arrested After Hitting Pilot, Scindia Condemns Incident
A passenger on an IndiGo flight was arrested after he hit a pilot when he was making an announcement regarding a delay in takeoff at the Delhi airport.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Monday that "unruly passenger behaviour is unacceptable", responding to an incident where a passenger assaulted an IndiGo pilot during an announcement about a flight delay. The passenger has been arrested, news agency PTI reported citing Delhi Police.
In an X post, Scindia said that all stakeholders are tirelessly working to minimize the impact of fog-related disruptions. Against the backdrop of the assault on a pilot at Delhi airport on Sunday, the minister firmly stated that such behavior would be dealt with robustly in accordance with existing legal provisions.
Yesterday, Delhi witnessed unprecedented fog wherein visibility fluctuated for several hours, and at times, dropped to zero between 5 AM to 9 AM.
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) January 15, 2024
The authorities, therefore, were compelled to enforce a shut-down of operations for some time even on CAT III runways (CAT III…
Scindia also announced that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will issue a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for airlines to improve communication and passenger facilitation, aiming to minimize discomfort caused by flight cancellations and delays due to adverse weather conditions.
Operations at Delhi airport were significantly affected on Sunday due to dense fog, leading to the diversion, cancellation, and delay of numerous flights. The repercussions of such disruptions extend beyond Delhi, causing a ripple effect and resulting in delays throughout the country.
It is to be noted that pilots, crew, and airlines are not to blame for the inconvenience caused by flight delays. A more thoughtful consideration by passengers would provide a more reasoned perspective.
In response to the assault incident on an IndiGo pilot, the airline has taken immediate action by establishing an internal committee. This committee is tasked with determining appropriate measures, including considering the placement of the accused passenger, Sahil Kataria, on the 'No Fly List' for unruly behaviour.
IndiGo says, "On January 14, 2024, a customer assaulted our first officer during the announcement of a flight delay flight 6E 2175. As per protocol, the customer was declared unruly and handed over to the local law enforcement agencies. This incident is being referred to the… pic.twitter.com/OWQwUgz1SD
— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2024
A senior IndiGo official told news agency PTI that, "We have formed an internal committee, and the incident has been referred to it. The committee will decide on suitable action against the passenger, including the possibility of placing him on the 'No Fly List' under the unruly behavior category".
A passenger punched an Indigo capt in the aircraft as he was making delay announcement. The guy ran up from the last row and punched the new Capt who replaced the previous crew who crossed FDTL. Unbelievable ! @DGCAIndia @MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/SkdlpWbaDd
— Capt_Ck (@Capt_Ck) January 14, 2024
The distressing incident occurred on IndiGo flight number 6E 2175 departing from Delhi to Goa on Sunday. A viral video captured Sahil Kataria, the agitated passenger in a yellow jacket, physically assaulting the co-pilot, Anup Kumar, during an announcement about the flight delay.
The Delhi police have initiated an investigation into the incident following a formal complaint by Anup Kumar. The internal committee is expected to evaluate the severity of the incident and determine appropriate consequences for the accused passenger, potentially leading to his inclusion in the 'No Fly List' due to disruptive behaviour.
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