NEW DELHI, June 29 — A passenger on Air India flight AI454 from Amritsar to Delhi was handed over to airport security on Saturday after exhibiting disruptive behavior during the final leg of the journey, the airline said in a statement.
According to Air India, the incident occurred during cabin preparations for landing when a crew member observed a passenger standing in the aisle and engaging in a heated verbal exchange with another passenger. The second individual reported that the man was being abusive.
In an effort to defuse the situation, the crew relocated the second passenger to a seat in business class. “The cabin crew acted promptly and ensured the matter did not escalate further midair,” said the airline spokesperson.
The pilot-in-command alerted ground security in Delhi, and the disruptive passenger was handed over to the authorities upon landing. “Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards disruptive behavior and prioritizes the safety and well-being of all passengers and crew,” the airline said. “We will fully cooperate with relevant authorities, and the matter is now under investigation.”
Under rules set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), airlines must initiate an internal probe in all cases of unruly conduct. The investigation is conducted by a designated internal committee, which can recommend measures ranging from warnings to placing the passenger on the no-fly list, depending on the severity of the offense.
This latest incident comes amid growing regulatory focus on in-flight safety and passenger conduct. Air India, in particular, has been in the spotlight for multiple high-profile cases of passenger misconduct over the past two years — including the notorious November 2022 case, in which an inebriated man on a New York–Delhi flight allegedly urinated on a fellow business class passenger. The airline was later fined ₹30 lakh for its delayed reporting of that incident.
Officials say such episodes underscore the urgent need for stricter enforcement and real-time response mechanisms aboard flights.
