Mumbai, August 3: A passenger on an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Kolkata was handed over to law enforcement authorities on Friday after assaulting a fellow traveller during taxiing, the airline said in a statement.
The altercation occurred on board flight 6E while the aircraft was taxiing out at Mumbai airport. A video widely circulated on social media shows one passenger slapping another, with a bystander audibly objecting to the assault.
According to initial reports, the assaulted passenger had requested to be deboarded after experiencing discomfort, possibly due to a panic attack. The request sparked protests from other passengers over the potential delay, leading to the confrontation. Despite the commotion, the flight continued to Kolkata.
“The individual involved was identified as unruly and handed over to the security authorities upon arrival,” IndiGo said. The airline also confirmed it has reported the incident to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Under DGCA guidelines, unruly passengers may face a flying ban ranging from three months for verbal abuse to up to two years for life-threatening behaviour. Physical assault can result in a ban of up to six months, pending an airline-conducted internal inquiry. No further details were released on whether the airline has initiated proceedings to impose a flight ban.
