Unruly Passenger Faces 'No-Fly' List After Assault On Delhi-Goa IndiGo Pilot

The possibility of being put on the 'no-fly' list is being considered for the passenger, Sahil Kataria, who physically assaulted the captain of a Delhi-Goa IndiGo flight, according to a statement by the airline on Monday.

An internal committee has been formed by IndiGo to address the incident, and the consideration for inclusion in the 'no-fly' list is due to the unruly behaviour of the passenger.

IndiGo has stated assault on Flight 6E2175. "On January 14, 2024, during the announcement of a flight delay by the first officer of flight 6E2175, a passenger assaulted the first officer."

Further, the statement reads, " As per protocol, the passenger was declared unruly and handed over to the local law enforcement agencies for further action. The incident is being referred to the independent internal committee for appropriate action and inclusion of the passenger on the 'no-fly list' as laid down in regulatory guidelines," reported India Today.

Indigo Flight Incident Details and Investigation

The incident came to light after a video went viral on social media, showing the passenger running up to the pilot of the IndiGo flight and slapping him. The pilot was making an announcement regarding delays when the man punched him.
A flight attendant standing beside the pilot came to his rescue and shielded him. The passenger was deboarded after the incident and handed over to central security forces.
A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged based on the complaint by the pilot of the Delhi-Goa IndiGo flight. Further investigation into the matter is underway, as per multiple media reports.

Chaotic Scene Inside the Indigo Flight Cabin

Chaos erupted inside the cabin after the assault, with passengers visibly disturbed by the incident. The flight attendant was heard in the video screaming, "Sir, aap aisa nahin karsakte. (Sir, you cannot do this)," as reported by NDTV.

Flight Delay and Passenger Complaints

The Delhi-Goa IndiGo 6E2175 flight was delayed for several hours due to thick fog that has plagued North India over the past few days. However, passengers were not informed about the reason behind the delay, leading to frustration among travelers.

IndiGo has faced a surge in online complaints, with passengers pointing out cancellations, inordinate delays, and not meeting the expected standards. Several individuals have taken to social media platforms to express their grievances.

Passenger Threatens Legal Action

On Sunday (January 14), a social media user, Kaushal Kumbhat, threatened to sue IndiGo for "gross negligence, mental harassment, and apathy" after his son's Delhi-Istanbul flight was delayed for several hours before being cancelled.

He reported that the flight was supposed to take off at 6:10 am on Sunday, but the boarding happened around 6:35 before being cancelled after five hours.

Weather-Related Flight Disruptions

Flight operations have generally been impacted over the past few days due to harsh weather in Delhi and other parts of North India amid severe fog, reducing visibility to near zero.