The passenger who broke the inner window pane of an Air India flight from Chandigarh to Delhi on Sunday has been referred to the airline’s internal committee to decide whether he should be put on the no-fly list, officials familiar with the matter said on Monday.
The accident occurred on board Flight AI1879 on the evening of June 7 as the plane was preparing to land at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi.
The passenger was asked to stop damaging the interior window glass, but he did not stop, officials said. The interior pane, also called the scratch pane, is a thin, non-structural plastic covering inside the cabin that protects the weight-bearing window layers underneath from accidental damage.
An Air India spokesperson confirmed the incident.
“Flight AI1879 which was operating from Chandigarh to Delhi on June 7 landed safely in Delhi after an incident involving an unruly passenger during the flight. The cockpit crew followed standard operating procedures and after issuing warnings to the passenger, informed the security team at Delhi airport about the matter,” the spokesperson said.
“The safety of the passengers, crew and aircraft was not compromised at any time during the flight.”
The passenger was aggressive and ignored repeated warnings from the cabin crew during the flight, but started apologizing repeatedly once he was handed over to security personnel at Delhi’s IGI Airport, officials said.
“Air India follows a zero-tolerance policy for behavior that could affect the safety and security of passengers and employees,” the spokesperson said.
Under civil aviation requirements, all cases of unruly behavior are referred to the airline’s internal committee, which has 30 days to determine the category and duration of the ban on the passenger. The airline can impose an initial ban of up to 30 days pending the committee’s decision.
“The matter has been referred to the airline’s internal committee, which will evaluate whether he should be classified as an unruly passenger and whether further action should be taken under the applicable rules,” the official said.
He was detained overnight at the airport. At approximately 9:30 a.m. on June 8, the passenger escaped from the police escort in the T-3 check-in area and ran toward the front yard. However, personnel of the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Central Industrial Security Force spotted and arrested him. An airport official, who requested anonymity, said he was handed over to the police.
During investigation, his parents informed the police that he was a mentally ill person and requested that he be allowed to travel to Patna, his hometown, via an Air India flight. But the airline refused to allow him to travel to Patna in light of the ongoing procedures.
“After completing the necessary procedures, Kumar was released and handed over to his parents,” the official said.
