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Passenger tries to open cockpit door on Bengaluru-Varanasi flight, ‘mistook it for lavatory'
AI Express says “passenger approached cockpit entry area while looking for the lavatory”, security officials say he "pressed security code of cockpit door"
A passenger aboard an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi on Monday tried to open the cockpit door mid-air but was caught after he incorrectly pressed the security code, HT has learnt. The airlines said he told the crew he mistook the cockpit's door for the toilet's.
Security officials citing information sent by the pilot to the the Air Traffic Control told HT that the passenger, identified only as “Mr Mani”, had “pressed the security code of the cockpit door”.
This alerted the crew on board, at which the passenger said he was not aware of the system as he'd taken a flight for the first time, sources told HT. The pilot did not allow access “fearing a hijack attempt”, according to one report, and alerted the ATC.
Mani and eight of his fellow passengers traveling as a group were taken into custody for interrogation upon landing and handed over to UP Police at Varanasi, it is learnt. The incident took place on the Air India Express flight IX-1086.
Air India Express, in its statement, said, “We reaffirm that robust safety and security protocols are in place and were not compromised. The matter was reported to the relevant authorities on landing and is currently under investigation.” The passenger was handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as per protocol, it added.
This incident comes a day after an Air India flight from London to Delhi was delayed after a passenger's boarding pass was stamped for plane entry but the crew noticed the person wasn't onboard.
The person, not identified, never got onto the plane but wandered off to the arrivals area, the airlines said.
The plane had started backing up from the boarding area but had to return to the gate before takeoff, ending up in a two-hour delay.
