'Unruly' passenger prompts diversion of Bangkok-bound Lufthansa flight to Delhi

NEW DELHI: A Bangkok-bound Lufthansa flight from Munich landed at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport Delhi on Wednesday after an "unruly" passenger allegedly created a ruckus mid-air.

While an official statement on the diversion is pending, sources said an "unruly passenger" was the cause.

The passenger, reportedly inebriated, has been deboarded and handed over to the security personnel at Delhi airport, as per sources.

Further details are awaited.

Last month, Delhi police had filed a case against a 25-year-old man for purportedly causing a disturbance and verbally abusing the flight crew during an Air India flight from New York to Delhi.

According to the officials, the case pertains to a passenger who caused disruption on the flight and directed offensive language at the female cabin crew.

The case was registered under sections 509 of the Indian Penal Code and 22/23 of Aircraft Rules at the IGI Airport Police station in Delhi on October 1, following a complaint lodged by one of the female cabin crew members.

As per the FIR accessed by IANS, the cabin crew member reported that a passenger, a resident of Jalandhar, Punjab, on Air India Flight AI 102, initially assigned to seat 21B, later found in seat 45H, began making lewd comments and verbally abusing fellow passengers.

"The passenger began running around and verbally abusing everyone. The cabin supervisor first issued an oral warning, followed by a written warning," stated the FIR.

However, the crew had to physically restrain him as he persisted with the same disruptive behaviour.

"He also made a racist comment directed at me and the other female crew members in the galley, stating, 'you girls are available for two dollars,' and continued to verbally abuse other crew members," stated the FIR.