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.

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.