Passenger detained for slapping pilot over flight delay in Delhi

An aircraft from IndiGo Airlines. Photo from IndiGo Airlines’ Twitter

The Straits Times reported that the incident occurred at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday, following a 13-hour delay caused by dense fog in North India. A video of the incident went viral on Instagram. In the video, a passenger in a yellow hoodie is seen slapping the flight’s pilot during an announcement, causing the pilot to reel from the impact.

The Hindustan Times noted that the passenger is heard criticizing the pilot, saying: “if you don’t want to fly the plane, then don’t.”

Following the assault, cabin crew members and fellow passengers intervened, calming the assailant and leading him away from the scene.

Since the aircraft had not yet departed, IndiGo Airlines immediately filed a police complaint against the assailant, who was then promptly taken into police custody. Investigations are reportedly underway, with the assailant facing potential charges for intentionally causing harm.

The airline is also considering banning the passenger from future flights by adding him to their “no-fly list.”

Flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported significant disruptions at Delhi airport on Monday morning, with 168 flights delayed and 56 canceled due to the fog. Additionally, 18 train services to Delhi were also delayed.