Emergency exit opening row: House panel to write to Aviation ministry about action taken

New Delhi [India], January 19 : After Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed that it was BJP leader Tejasvi Surya who opened the emergency exit of an IndiGo plane last month "by mistake", Parliamentary Standing Committee on Roads, Shipping, Civil Aviation, Tourism, and Culture Chairman Vijayasai Reddy will write a letter to the ministry regarding the issue, the sources said.
"The Chairman in his wisdom will write to the Ministry to seek what action has been taken on this matter which concerns the security of passengers," the sources told ANI.
IndiGo on December 10 said that a passenger accidentally opened the emergency exit of its flight 6E 7339 at the Chennai airport during the boarding process when the plane was on the tarmac.
IndiGo also had said the passenger accidentally opened the emergency exit door and apologised for the action.
"A passenger travelling on Flight 6E 7339 from Chennai to Tiruchirapalli on Dec 10 accidentally opened the emergency exit during the boarding process. The passenger apologised for the action. As per SOPs, aircraft underwent mandatory engineering checks which led to delay departure," IndiGo statement said.
A senior DGCA official told ANI that the incident was duly reported.
"The passenger apparently opened the RH emergency exit door by mistake while the aircraft was still on the ground. The crew moved in swiftly and all appropriate action to restore airworthiness such as reinstalling the door, a pressurisation check was carried out before the flight was cleared for departure. No safety protocol was compromised with," the official said.
Scindia on Wednesday said that it was Surya who opened the emergency exit of an IndiGo plane last month "by mistake" and "apologised" for the same.
"It is important to look at the facts. The (emergency) door was opened by him by mistake when the flight was on the ground and after all checks, the flight was allowed to take off. He also apologised for the mistake. All protocols were followed and DGCA has investigated the matter. It was found all protocols were followed and pressurisation was also checked," Scindia confirmed the incident that has spurred opposition derision and attacks on the Karnataka MP.
Congress leader and Lok Sabha member Manickam Tagore on January 18 took to Twitter to say that he would raise the airline incident involving BJP leader Tejasvi Surya at the next meeting of a parliamentary panel on civil aviation.
"Unbelievable Minister @JM_Scindia from you . How can passenger safety put to test by Childish MP and he can get away with saying Sorry ... Need a legal action. Will raise it in the parliament for legal action," he wrote in his tweet.
Surya was seated next to Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai during his traveling on December 10.