Early on Monday morning, an Italian passenger on a Vistara Airlines flight from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai is said to have half-unzipped, begun to run around the aisles while shouting, and assaulted the flight attendants.
According to reports, the woman demanded to be upgraded from her Economy Class seat and this is why there was a fight.
After a 2.5-hour trip from Abu Dhabi, Vistara Airlines flight UK-256 touched down at 4:45 am on Monday at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, where police were waiting to meet the Airbus A320 plane and take the woman into custody.
A Mumbai Police official stated that an Italian national had been detained after it was claimed that the passenger had attacked flight attendants and caused a disruption.
The woman has already appeared in court for her initial hearing and has been given bail pending a full trial, according to local media.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the airline explained: “We confirm that there was an unruly passenger on Vistara flight UK 256 operating from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai on January 30, 2023.”
“In view of the continued unruly conduct and violent behavior, the captain issued a warning card and made a decision to restrain the passenger,” the statement continued.
The representative claimed that during the incident, the flight attendants and pilots adhered to standard operating procedures and made sure that law enforcement was ready to meet the aircraft when it landed.
As part of a larger conversation about rowdy and disruptive passenger behavior on Indian airlines, Air India has modified its policy on supplying alcohol to customers.