'Unruly passenger on board AI flight handed over to London police'

NEW DELHI: Even as the storm over a passenger arrested for urinating on a female co-passenger on board an Air India flight is still brewing, another incident of an unruly passenger having been handed over to the London metropolitan police after an incident on an AI Mumbai-London flight has come to light.

The unruly passenger on a Mumbai-London flight in September 2022 was handed over to the London Metropolitan Police after a restraining device was required in the incident, reports said quoting Air India.

The drunk passenger allegedly attempted to touch an eight-year-old girl inappropriately, according to a complaint by the girl's mother and 20-year-old brother travelling with her on the flight, AI-131, on September 5, 2022, reports said.

According to report, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials said that this particular incident was not reported to them, unlike the urinating incident.

"We will have a look and shall take appropriate action," a DGCA official said when contacted for comments on the September incident.

Reports quoting an Air India spokesperson said that on landing, the alleged offender was escorted out of the flight by the metropolitan police.

The Air India cabin crew gave statements to the metropolitan police and the incident was subsequently reported to the DGCA on September 19, 2022, the reports said.

They further added that Air India crew took immediate action and isolated the alleged offender.

The victim was comforted and given all assistance, including helping her and her family relocate to alternate seats, an airline spokesperson was quoted as saying.

As the accused passenger continued to behave in an unruly manner, the pilot in charge issued a warning letter and when the passenger continued to misbehave, a restraining device was used, the reports said.

The captain of the flight also informed Air India ground staff at Heathrow airport, the spokesperson added, as per reports.