American Airlines bans unruly, inebriated Indian student for urinating on co-passenger
What happened?
The incident took place on American Airlines’ flight AA292 travelling from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Indira Gandhi International Airport which landed safely at 9:50 pm (late Saturday), said a statement by American Airlines, reported ANI.
It added, “Upon aircraft arrival, the purser informed that the passenger was heavily intoxicated, and was not adhering to crew instructions on board. He was repeatedly arguing with the operating crew, was not willing to be seated and continuously endangering the safety of crew and aircraft and after disturbing the safety of fellow passengers, finally urinated on pax seated on 15G.”
The airline company has since imposed a ban on the accused from flying on any of its flights in the future, reported ANI, while the fellow who was allegedly urinated on is said to be a US citizen. Prior to landing at the Delhi airport, the American Airlines pilot contacted the ATC informing them about an unruly passenger on board and sought security personnel.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel took him out of the aircraft and said that the passenger misbehaved with the CISF personnel too, an airport official told ANI. A complaint was also registered with the Delhi Police who said that Vohra was a student in the US and a resident of the Defence Colony in the capital city.
Speaking about the complaint filed by the American Airlines, Devesh Kumar Mahla, DCP, IGI Airport told ANI, “They stated that he did not behave properly and created a nuisance and also urinated on the co-passenger. On the basis of the complaint we are contemplating action under IPC and Civil Aviation Act.” He added that they will take the “strongest action possible” against him to deter other flyers from such behaviour in the future.
“A case has been registered in the matter. We will do our best in this case. The accused Arya Vohra has been released,” the police official told ANI. According to the DCP, the airline has submitted a written complaint while the victim has not come forward, however, action will be taken on the basis of the statement by American Airlines.
“We have got a report from the concerned airline. They seem to have handled the situation professionally and taken all appropriate action,” an official from the Indian aviation regulatory body told ANI. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DCGA) has also sought a detailed report of the incident from the airline.
This comes months after a passenger travelling from New York to New Delhi on an Air India flight allegedly urinated on a female co-passenger who was in her 70s. The man later identified as Shankar Mishra was also said to be inebriated when the incident took place in November last year.
(With inputs from agencies)
