Delhi: Woman passenger, Air India staffer slap each other after altercation

The passenger got into an argument with the airline’s staff member when she wasn’t allowed to board, leading to a scuffle.

A flier and an Air India employee had an altercation at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday after the passenger arrived late and wasn’t allowed to board her flight.

Both the parties compromised later and the woman departed for Ahmedabad later in the day. (File photo/For representational purposes)

The woman had booked the 5am Delhi-Ahmedabad Air India flight 019 but reached the boarding gate just as it had closed. She was denied boarding as less than 45 minutes was left for the flight’s departure.

According to sources, an argument ensued, leading to a scuffle and the passenger allegedly slapped the staffer, a woman.

The flier’s husband, who is a senior bureaucrat from the Haryana government, and is currently in Gujarat on election duty, told HT that his wife was in the queue and just when she reached the counter, the staff closed it.

“They should have checked for how long passenger was waiting in the queue. They misbehaved and provoked my wife,” he said.

Both the parties compromised later and the woman departed for Ahmedabad later in the day.

Delhi Police said they had received a call regarding the argument at Terminal 3.

“She reported at 0418 hrs for check-in and was denied boarding. An argument started between her and the Air India lady staff and the passenger slapped her. The lady staff in retaliation slapped her. Both have been medically examined... Later, both parties compromised and did not want any action,” Sanjay Bhatia, DCP (airport) said.

Only two months ago, the aviation ministry introduced a no-fly list after several instances of passengers, many of them politicians, misbehaving with airline/airport staff.

Passengers can face a minimum of a three-month ban, stretching up to a lifetime, if they jeopardise the safety of an aircraft.

The rules are part of the government’s rollout of a national no-fly list to crack down on people who misbehave during air travel, an issue that gained attention earlier this year after a Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Ravindra Gaikwad beat up a 60-year-old airline staffer over a seat change.