Another unruly flyer was handed to London police in Sept: 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.

An unruly passenger on a Mumbai-London flight in September was handed over to the Metropolitan Police and the incident necessitated the use of a restraining device, Air India said on Saturday.

“The staff should have reacted in a timely manner, but they didn’t bother to move him away,” the complainant said. The incident took place when the girl’s brother was asleep, she said. (HT)

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.

However, an Air India spokesperson said, “Upon 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.”

Air India said the crew assisted the passenger. “Air India confirms that an incident happened on the Mumbai-London flight on September 5, 2022. The cabin crew immediately took action and isolated the alleged offender. The victim was comforted and given all assistance, including helping her and her family relocate to alternate seats,” the airline spokesperson said.

“Since 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 captain of the flight also informed Air India ground staff at Heathrow airport,” the spokesperson added.

In a written complaint to the airline, the victim passenger’s mother said, “My son who is 20 and daughter 8 years faced trouble with a drunk passenger who was served and served more alcohol by the TATA Air India staff who was sitting just beside them harassed my son and daughter and tried to touch her inappropriately. This was the after effect of several drinks of whiskey and soda which were provided by staff despite the fact that the staff should have drawn a limit on the quantity being served to the passenger.”

“The staff should have reacted in a timely manner, but they didn’t bother to move him away,” the complainant said. The incident took place when the girl’s brother was asleep, she said.

“Since the entertainment system was not working my son got sleep for a while and when he woke up, he saw the lady who was sitting behind walking just to make the man cautious about what he was trying to do. The man sitting next to my daughter was fully drunk and had no control over himself. He tried to touch my daughter and had her arm rest over so he could get close to her. After that my son told him what he was trying to do and when he called the staff, he started abusing him and my daughter in his language and in English,” the complaint said.

“Despite getting no help from the staff, the lady who made my son aware of the drunken passenger helped my son and his sister to move to a different seat,” the complaint said.

The airline said an investigating committee was formed. “The committee including a retired judge, a representative from a passengers’ association, and a senior official from a competing commercial airline, was convened and has held a number of hearings, with the next scheduled for the 10th of January,” the spokesperson said, adding that the airline continues to extend all cooperation to the Metropolitan Police in the investigation.