Flight AI 111 left Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6:35am local time but was forced to return shortly after departure due to the “serious unruly behaviour of a passenger on board.”
According to Mail Online, the passenger was immediately removed from the Air India aircraft before being handed back over to police at the airport.
The Hindustan Times reports that the man started pulling one of the cabin crew member’s hair 15 minutes after taking off, while he later attacked other members of staff.
Air India said that despite receiving verbal and written warnings, the passenger continued to cause “physical harm” to members of the cabin crew.
Eventually, the pilot decided that the only thing left to do was to return to Delhi and remove the man from the flight.
The crew members who were attacked by the passenger are now being supported by the airline company – who said that “safety, security and dignity” on board was vital.
Air India confirmed to MailOnline that the flight later took off to London at 2.24pm, local time.
A spokesman for Air India said, “Air India flight AI 111 scheduled to operate Delhi-London Heathrow on April 10, 2023 returned to Delhi shortly after departure due to the serious unruly behaviour of a passenger on board.
“Not heeding verbal and written warnings, the passenger continued with unruly behaviour including causing physical harm to two of the cabin crew members.
“The pilot in command decided to return to Delhi and the passenger was handed over to the security personnel upon landing.”
They added, “An first information report has also been lodged with the police. Safety, security and dignity of all on board is important to us at Air India.
“We are providing all possible support to the affected crew members. We regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers and have rescheduled the flight.”
Just last month, a passenger travelling from London to Mumbai was caught smoking in the toilets of an Air India flight.
While in November, passenger Shankar Mishra was accused of drunkenly urinating on an elderly woman on an Air India flight from New York to Delhi – something he denied doing.
