Assault on Air India Officer: Alarming Incident Highlights the Need for Stronger Airline Security
The incident has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation by the airline. Industry insiders criticize AI for their lack of strong action in such situations. There have been several instances of disruptive behavior by unruly passengers in
During a flight from Sydney to Delhi on July 9, Sandeep Verma, a senior officer with Air India, allegedly faced assault from a disruptive passenger. Verma, who heads the airline's in-flight services, was originally scheduled to fly business class but had to switch to economy due to some unusable seats in the front section of the aircraft. Reports suggest that the unruly passenger assaulted Verma and twisted his hand after he requested them to calm down. Despite Verma's request to detain the passenger upon arrival in Delhi, no action was taken by the AI crew. The passenger was later handed over to security, where they issued a written apology.
Senior Air India Officer Allegedly Assaulted by Disruptive Passenger: Incident on Sydney-Delhi Flight
The incident has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation by the airline. Industry insiders criticize AI for their lack of strong action in such situations. There have been several instances of disruptive behavior by unruly passengers in recent months, and in some cases, AI has been penalized by the DGCA for their failure to take appropriate action or report incidents to the regulator. This has created a perception that poor behavior can be tolerated while flying with AI, and this perspective needs to change, according to those familiar with the matter.
Perceived Lack of Action: Criticism towards Air India's Response to In-Flight Incidents
Despite targeting one of their own senior management personnel, AI has not taken decisive action against these disruptive flyers. A senior pilot from another Indian carrier remarked, "Try doing this on a foreign airline and see what happens." An Air India representative acknowledged the passenger's unacceptable behavior on the Sydney-Delhi flight AI301 on July 9, 2023, despite verbal and written warnings. The passenger was handed over to security upon arrival in Delhi, and they later expressed regret in writing. The incident was duly reported to the DGCA. Air India strongly condemns such unacceptable conduct and will pursue appropriate action to the fullest extent of the law.
Incident Details: Assault on Senior Air India Official During Flight AI301
Shortly after the departure of AI301, another incident of disorderly behavior unfolded. Verma, unable to secure a seat in the business class section of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner due to unusable seats, moved to an open seat in row 25 of the economy cabin. One passenger in that cabin was reportedly speaking loudly and behaving inappropriately. When Verma requested them to behave, the individual launched a physical and verbal attack on him. Despite attempts by air hostesses to control the disruptive passenger, Verma, who frequently travels to Australia, relocated to the back of the aircraft. The male crew member from the business class section was eventually called upon to restrain the offender. The disruptive passenger received both a verbal and written warning after being subdued by the male cabin crew member.
