London flight forced to return to Delhi after passenger ‘pulling flight attendant’s hair and fighting with staff’
- A male passenger is said to have pulled her hair 15 minutes after takeoff
- Air India said the pilot returned to Delhi and the passenger was handed over to security
A flight to London Heathrow was forced to return to Delhi this morning after a passenger reportedly started pulling a flight attendant’s hair before starting a fight with staff.
Flight AI 111 left Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 06:35 local time but had to turn back shortly after departure due to ‘serious unruly behavior by a passenger on board’.
The passenger was immediately removed from the Air India plane before being handed over to police at the airport.
Hindu times reports that the man began pulling one of the cabin crew’s hair 15 minutes after takeoff, later attacking other staff members.
Air India said that despite receiving verbal and written warnings, the passenger continued to cause “bodily harm” to cabin crew members.
Air India flight AI 111 left Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 6:35 am local time but had to return shortly after departure due to the ‘serious unruly behavior of a passenger on board’ (file image of Air India aircraft)
In the end, the pilot decided that all that was left for him was to return to Delhi and take the man off the flight.
The crew members attacked by the passenger are now backed by the airline – which said ‘safety, security and dignity’ on board is of vital importance.
Air India confirmed to MailOnline that the flight departed for London later at 2:24pm local time.
An Air India spokesman said: ‘Air India flight AI 111, scheduled for Delhi-London Heathrow on April 10, 2023, returned to Delhi shortly after departure due to the serious unruly behavior of a passenger on board.
“The passenger ignored verbal and written warnings and continued to engage in unruly behavior, including inflicting bodily harm on two cabin crew members.
“The captain decided to return to Delhi and the passenger was handed over to security personnel upon landing.”
They added: ‘An FIR [first information report] also reported to the police. Safety, security and dignity of everyone on board is important to us at Air India.
Air India confirmed to MailOnline that the flight departed for London later at 2:24pm local time. In the photo: Heathrow Airport
“We are providing all possible support to the affected crew members. We regret the inconvenience to passengers and have moved the flight.”
Last month, a passenger traveling from London to Mumbai was caught smoking in the toilets of an Air India flight.
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 denies.