A passenger onboard an IndiGo flight from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in New Delhi was implicated in an altercation with flight attendants last Friday. The incident reflects a trend of increasingly rowdy passengers taking to the skies in recent months.

The incident

The incident reportedly began when a man asked the flight crew for a sandwich and was told that they would have to check to see if one was available. He then became frustrated and started raising his voice at the cabin crew as they tried to explain to him that they could only serve him after ensuring that there was enough for everyone.

The man then proceeded to interrupt the flight attendant that was speaking to him and asked her why she was yelling, to which she replied that it was because he was yelling and that he could not speak to the flight crew in such a tone. The flight attendant also reprimanded the man for pointing fingers at the cabin crew.

A verbal disagreement followed until the man eventually told the flight attendant to shut up. The flight attendant responded in kind and told him that she was not his servant before pulling a mask over her face, effectively ending the exchange.

Both IndiGo and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which regulates and governs air transport in India have launched investigations into the incident.

IndiGo also issued a statement acknowledging the incident and reaffirming its commitment to customer comfort:

"We are aware of the incident that took place on flight 6E 12 from Istanbul to Delhi on December 16, 2022... IndiGo is cognizant of the needs of its customers and it is our constant endeavor to provide a courteous and hassle-free experience to our customers. We are looking into the incident and would like to assure that customers' comfort has always been our top priority. We are committed to providing the best experience at all times."

Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today.

A growing trend

TSA Security Checkpoint
Photo: Denver International Airport

The incident reflects a trend of passenger noncompliance that has become increasingly rampant in recent months. On Tuesday, a woman was arrested at Miami International Airport (MIA) for throwing a computer monitor at a gate agent. And just last month, a man was arrested onboard a JetBlue flight for threatening a married couple with a razor blade.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tracks incidents involving unruly passengers and has recorded 2,359 reports of such incidents and 823 opened investigations as of December 15, up from 183 investigations in all of 2020.

The incident onboard the IndiGo flight is unfortunately not an isolated incident and comes at a time when passenger noncompliance is on the rise. It is, therefore, in the best interest of everyone involved for airlines to establish strict protocol regarding the handling of unruly passengers so that they can ultimately work towards ensuring a safer flight experience for all.

Sources: The Daily Star, Mint, FAA