New Delhi: A passenger onboard a Goa-bound IndiGo flight from here physically assaulted the aircraft’s pilot while he was making an announcement regarding the delay.
The incident took place on Sunday on the IndiGo flight (6E-2175) from Delhi to Goa which was delayed due to heavy fog and traffic congestion at the airport by several hours. A video of the altercation went viral on social media platforms, sparking outrage and condemnation from users.
The passenger has been identified as Sahil Kataria. The pilot has filed a complaint against him and the airline is currently in the process of filing an official case.
The viral footage shows a passenger, identified as Sahil Kataria, wearing a yellow hoodie, running up to the front row and hitting the flight’s co-captain Anup Kumar, in a fit of anger.
The incident occurred while the pilot was addressing passengers about the delay, attributed to Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, leading to a crew change after prolonged delays.
FDT are regulations to ensure the well-being of pilots and flight attendants by mandating adequate rest periods and mitigating fatigue-related safety concerns. The responsibility for establishing FDTL falls under the jurisdiction of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Soon after the incident, the passenger was whisked out of the plane and handed over to the authorities. As per sources, the assault took place around 7 p.m. when tensions were running high among the passengers due to the extended wait.
"We received a complaint and are taking appropriate legal action,” said a senior police official.
The incident occurs amid considerable turmoil at the Delhi airport, with up to 110 flights facing delays and 79 flights being cancelled today, according to the flight tracker website flightradar24.
The average delay extended to 50 minutes, worsening the mounting frustration of passengers already dealing with widespread flight disruptions.