Unacceptable behaviour, complaint filed: Jyotiraditya Scindia after scuffle on Thai Smile Airways flight
Dec 29, 2022
New Delhi [India], December 29 : After a mid-air altercation on a Thai Smile Airways flight from Bangkok to Kolkata went viral, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said a police complaint has been filed against the passengers who were involved in the scuffle.
Taking to Twitter, Scindia said, "With regard to the scuffle between passengers on board a @ThaiSmileAirway flight, a police complaint has been filed against those involved. Such behavior is unacceptable."
https://twitter.com/JM_Scindia/status/1608505345772785666?s=20&t=KSX2xLnHZ2fLTdlYdj6tog
The airline, in its report, said 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.
"He was also told that the crew would be forced to inform the captain if he did not follow the rules. He told the crew that they are free to tell the captain but he would not adjust his seat. Soon, other fliers started complaining about the passenger. One of them got into an argument with him that soon escalated into an assault," the report said.
The airline has further said that no passenger received any serious injury in the incident.
"There was no other disturbance for the remainder of the journey," it added.
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 and sought a report from the airline.
The purported video from the Bangkok-Kolkata Thai Smile Airways 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.
The Director General of BCAS is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme.
DG BCAS told ANI that a detailed report has been sought from the concerned authority and the matter will be taken seriously.
"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 receive the report," Zulfiquar Hasan earlier said.
