Indian civil aviation authorities plan to recommend Thai Smile passengers involved in brawls to no-fly list

By Ashoke Raj
New Delhi [India], January 2 : Indian aviation authorities are planning to recommend putting passengers, who were involved in a recent onboard brawl, on a no-fly list.
"We are in touch with the local police and we are waiting for the police investigation report after which we can take a decision or recommend them to put on the fly list," a top official of the Indian aviation authority told ANI.
In 2017, the government of India formed a committee called The National No Fly List, which is compiled and maintained by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) based on inputs from airlines. The no-fly list regulates the behavior of passengers on scheduled and non-scheduled flights only.
A police case has been registered in connection with the onboard brawl at Kolkata airport and an investigation has been initiated. The aviation authorities including the Ministry of Civil Aviation are in touch with the Kolkata police, and after investigation, the authorities may recommend a no-fly list for the concerned passengers.
Meanwhile, Thai Smile Airways said in an internal report that, "the row erupted when the passenger on seat 37C refused to follow the safety instructions of the crew."
Despite repeated requests, the passenger remained seated with his seat reclined, it said, adding that the Captain delayed the fight due to the same.
Earlier, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), a body that monitors aviation security has taken strong cognizance of a video that has gone viral on social media showing passengers on a Bangkok-Kolkata flight engaged in a mid-air brawl.
"The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has sought a detailed report from the concerned authority. The matter has been viewed seriously. We will decide on the further course of action once we are in receipt of the report," said Zulfiquar Hasan, DG of BCAS.
The purported video from the Bangkok-Kolkata Thai Smile Airways on December 26 flight shows two passengers engaging in a heated argument even as a flight attendant attempts to calm them. One man is then seen slapping the other as the cabin crew member desperately attempts to separate them.