New Delhi: A day after the shocking video of a passenger assaulting the pilot of an IndiGo flight at Delhi airport, discussion on social media continues unabated.
A passenger captured the moment of frustration when a fellow traveller charged towards the pilot, throwing punches, amid an announcement about a delay in departure.
An X user shared a detailed account on social media, shedding light on the events leading up to the assault. While emphasizing a non-supportive stance on violence, he highlighted the airline's alleged mismanagement. The man under the username Sonal Vij is believed to be a co-passenger on the same flight. However, FPJ couldn't verify his details.
X User Shares First Hand Account
While sharing a first hand account of the incident, Sonal stated that the Flight 6E2175, scheduled for a 7:40 AM takeoff, faced multiple delays, eventually departing at 5:35 PM. Boarding was delayed by 5 hours due to weather and involved approximately 186 passengers, including infants and elderly individuals.
Despite completing boarding by 12:40 PM, the flight doors remained open until 2:50 PM, with ground staff attributing the delay to air traffic control (ATC) congestion. The pilot's announcement at 1:30 PM about a delayed crew member raised suspicions of misinformation. Crew members were accused of being unprofessional and neglectful of passengers' needs.
Verbal Altercation & Delayed Pushback
A verbal altercation ensued between passengers and crew members as the plane did not push back promptly. Requests for water from elderly passengers were allegedly ignored, adding to the discontent among the passengers.
Around 3:20 PM, the assistant captain addressed passengers on the delay when the assault occurred. Sonal Vij questioned IndiGo's mismanagement, unprofessionalism, and the ordeal of 185 passengers stranded without food for hours. While condemning violence, he urged authorities, including DGCA, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, to investigate the airline's conduct.
Probe On In Assault Incident
The aviation security agency has started an investigation regarding the viral video. The unruly passenger has been identified as Sahil Kataraia and the captain's name is Anup Kumar. The passenger was swiftly deplaned and detained by the CISF at the airport. He is likely to be put on the 'no-fly list.'
IndiGo's post on X has received reaction from passengers who questioned the airline as to who will compensate for the delay? One user said that while the man who attacked pilot should face legal action, what about the airline apologising for the delay? When was the last time they did it, he asked.
