Aviation

Punching IndiGo Pilot Incident: These are Possible Actions Taken by Authorities Against Passenger

A disturbing incident unfolded on an IndiGo flight when a passenger, identified as Sahil Kataria, physically assaulted the aircraft’s pilot during an announcement about delays.

The incident occurred on flight 6E-2175 from Delhi to Goa, which experienced significant delays due to fog on a Sunday. Following the assault, the pilot promptly filed a complaint against Sahil Kataria, prompting the airline to initiate the process of filing an official case. The airline quickly removed the unruly passenger from the aircraft, handing him over to the authorities for further action.

A passenger punched an Indigo capt in the aircraft as he was making delay announcement. The guy ran up from the last row and punched the new Capt who replaced the previous crew who crossed FDTL. Unbelievable ! @DGCAIndia @MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/SkdlpWbaDd
— Capt_Ck (@Capt_Ck) January 14, 2024

In response to this disturbing incident, the Indian civil aviation regulator, @DGCAIndia, outlined two potential levels of unruly behavior on an aircraft as depicted in the video. These levels include Level 2, characterized by physically abusive actions such as pushing, kicking, hitting, or inappropriate touching, and Level 3, involving life-threatening behavior like damage to aircraft operating systems or physical violence endangering lives.

The Civil Aviation Requirements mandate a series of steps to address such incidents. First, the Commander of the aircraft is required to file an FIR. Then, the incident must be reported to various authorities, including airline security officials, the SHO of the airport police station, CISF, BCAS, and the airport operator. Subsequently, the airline is obligated to establish an Internal Committee within 30 days to determine the level of unruly behavior exhibited by the passenger.

During the committee’s deliberation period, the airline has the authority to temporarily ban the unruly passenger from flying, not exceeding 30 days. Simultaneously, the passenger is placed on a No Fly List maintained by the DGCA, and this information is shared with other airlines. The No Fly List empowers other airlines to make decisions regarding the banned passenger, with Level 2 offenses resulting in a ban of up to six months, and Level 3 offenses warranting a minimum ban of 2 years or more, without a set limit.

The comprehensive regulatory framework underscores the gravity of such incidents and emphasizes the collective efforts of aviation authorities to ensure the safety and security of air travel.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.