‘Unruly behaviour is unacceptable’: IndiGo after man slaps passenger onboard 

IndiGo , India’s largest airline, said late on Friday that it was aware of an incident involving an unruly man slapping his co-passenger onboard one of its domestic flights, after video of the incident went viral on various social media platforms, sparking widespread outrage.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, said late on Friday that it was aware of an incident involving an unruly man slapping his co-passenger onboard one of its domestic flights, after video of the incident went viral on various social media platforms, sparking widespread outrage.

As per the video, a man—ostensibly facing a panic attack after the Kolkata-Mumbai flight was taxiing at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport—started sobbing and walking in the aisle, imploring the cabin crew for him to be taken off the flight. However, to the shock of the rest of the co-passengers, an unruly man suddenly and inexplicably slapped the panicking co-passenger. However, it is not known why the man slapped his co-passenger.

The incident drew widespread flak from users on social media, as people came out in support of the victim. After the aircraft came to a complete halt, the unruly passenger, according to IndiGo, was handed over to the security authorities. All appropriate regulatory agencies, the airline added, were duly informed, in line with the protocol. 

“Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable, and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew,” the airline said in a statement, without divulging into the details of the incident. According to various reports, the airline is now considering whether to put him on the no-fly list for his actions.

In June, an unruly passenger aboard an Air India flight from Amritsar to New Delhi got into a verbal altercation with a co-passenger after the flight landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport. He was subsequently handed over to airport security at New Delhi. “During cabin preparations for landing, a member of our cabin crew noticed a passenger standing in the aisle, engaged in a verbal altercation with another passenger. The second passenger reported to the crew that the individual was being abusive,” Air India had said in a statement.