Mumbai: A foreign woman, travelling in business class manhandled Air India crew member after being denied extra alcohol on-board. The video of the incident, recorded by another crew member, shows the woman using expletives several times at the airline staff. The incident took place on November 10 when the Air India flight AI-131 was on way to London from Mumbai.
In the video clip which went viral on social media, the woman could be heard saying, “I am working for all your people…For you, an international criminal lawyer. Don’t get any money for it, by the way. But can’t give me a … glass of wine, is that correct?”
The action of the woman prompted the airline to file a police case against her, a official said. Air India filed an FIR against the passenger and she was taken into custody on landing at London’s Heathrow airport. “The woman turned unruly as the cabin crew denied her serving more liquor. She hurled abuse and manhandled the crew,” the official said.
The cabin crew informed the flight commander about the unruly behaviour of the passenger on board and he instructed the crew not to serve her more drinks, the official said.
The civil aviation ministry guidelines issued in September 2017 provide for barring a passenger indulging in unruly behaviour from flying for a period ranging from three months to lifetime, the official said. Aviation regulator DGCA is supposed to maintain the record of all such blacklisted passengers, he said, adding the quantum of punishment is based on the severity of the offence, which has been divided into three categories.
“The no-fly list is applicable only if the incident is inside an aircraft which could adversely affect the safety of the plane and its occupants.
