A Woman on board an IndiGo flight from Jaipur to Mumbai is being investigated for "aggressive" behaviour
In perhaps the first case of misbehaviour reported by an airline since the no-fly rule came into effect, a woman on board an IndiGo flight from Jaipur to Mumbai is being investigated for "aggressive" behaviour with an airline staff. The passenger too has filed a counter claim against the airline crew.
Officials in IndiGo Airlines confirmed the incident, but did not comment on it. Sources at the Mumbai Airport told news agency PTI that a team from IndiGo Airlines informed the CISF security personnel about the incident, which happened on Monday evening. As soon as the flight landed in Mumbai, the woman was escorted by CISF personnel and the airline crew took her to the airport police. She was booked for a non-cognisable offence.
Sources at IndiGo Airlines have not confirmed yet whether the woman will be banned from flying with the airline or be put on the no-fly list. They however revealed that the passenger, identified as Ms R Thakur, "misbehaved and displayed aggressive behaviour with the on board airline crew."
In her counter complaint, Ms Thakur too alleged that a member of the airline crew had misbehaved with her. The police is investigating the matter and the sequence of events that led to the altercation.
As per the rules announced last week, a passenger who displays disruptive behaviour on board a plane, even when it is on the ground, can face a flying ban ranging from three months to a lifetime.Such passengers will also be included in a no-fly list compiled by the aviation regulatory body DGCA or Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
According to DGCA's revised civil aviation requirement, after an airline receives a complaint about an unruly passenger it has to constitute a committee to decide the severity of the offence and rule on the duration of the ban. The panel will have to give its decision within 30 days, failing which the passenger is free to fly. Until the committee gives its decision the airline may ban the traveller from flying for no more than 30 days.
As per the rules, a passenger can be banned from flying for a period of three months, six months and two years or more, without an upper limit, which extends to a lifetime ban depending on the severity of the case.
A passenger's misdemeanour or bad conduct has been divided into three categories - verbal assault, physical fight or sexual assault, and life threatening behaviour.
(With inputs from PTI)