Outrage on Air India flight: Man arrested for shocking behaviour
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A recent story has shocked the Indian public and staff at Air India. The incident, reported on the 26th of November 2022, saw an Air India flight travelling from New York to New Delhi carrying with it unruly passenger Shankar Mishra.
It's what he did on board that caused the outrage - Mishra allegedly urinated on another female passenger, a senior citizen, during the 12-hour flight.
Mishra, who was said to have been heavily intoxicated, was arrested and interrogated by New Delhi Police after the female passenger reported the incident.
Subsequently, a New Delhi court sent him to prison for 14 days as police investigated the complaint against him. If found guilty, Shankar faces up to three years in prison.
Sugata Bhattacharjee - another passenger on the flight - reported to the press that he saw Shankar consuming excessive liquor and speaking incoherently, repeatedly asking the same question about his family.
Air India issued a statement soon after, banning the man from their flights for 30 days.
However, the directive wasn't enough for the airline's consumers, who took to social media outraged, pressing Air India to take more action against him.
As a result of the incident and the subsequent outrage on social media, Air India issued written notices and grounded one pilot and four cabin crew who, in their judgement, clearly mishandled the incident. They were charged with failing to abide with the regulations to handle an unruly passenger on board.
Air India CEO and managing director, Campbell Wilson, acknowledged that the incident could have been better handled and stated that they were committed to taking action.
Who is responsible for in-flight misdemeanours?
When it comes to in-flight misbehaviour and the handling of unruly passengers, airlines and their passengers both have responsibilities and liabilities.
For example, airlines must ensure that appropriate regulations and laws are followed in the handling of unruly passengers, and that the safety of all passengers is taken seriously. At the same time, passengers have a responsibility to respect norms of behavior and respect the safety of fellow passengers.
In 2017, India issued new standards barring unruly passengers from flying for a minimum of three months to more than two years, depending on the nature of the misdemeanour.
This makes it clear that passengers who fail to adhere to acceptable on-board behaviour can face severe consequences.
In the case of Mishra, this was further underlined by the fact that he lost his job as an executive at Wells Fargo & Company due to his actions.
However, this isn't to say that airlines are off the hook either.
Air India, for instance, took criticism for its initial handling of the incident involving Mishra and as stated above, was forced to issue written notices and ground one pilot and four cabin crew in response.
The airline was also reprimanded by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's air safety watchdog, for not complying with provisions related to handling unruly passengers on board.
Overall, it is clear that both airlines and their passengers must adhere to standards of behaviour and that there are consequences when they fail to do so. Responsible airlines must always ensure that the necessary regulations are followed and that their passengers feel safe while on their plane.
Members, this truly shocking story shows just how important it is to be aware of your surroundings at all times and of the people sitting around you.
It is also essential to do your part in maintaining a safe and courteous environment on board planes by following airline protocol and respecting the space and privacy of other passengers.
Have you ever witnessed absurd behaviour while flying? Let us know in the comments below.
It's what he did on board that caused the outrage - Mishra allegedly urinated on another female passenger, a senior citizen, during the 12-hour flight.
Mishra, who was said to have been heavily intoxicated, was arrested and interrogated by New Delhi Police after the female passenger reported the incident.
Subsequently, a New Delhi court sent him to prison for 14 days as police investigated the complaint against him. If found guilty, Shankar faces up to three years in prison.
A man was arrested for the shockingly disrespectful act of urinating on an elderly woman's seat. Credit: Unsplash/Bambi Corro.
Sugata Bhattacharjee - another passenger on the flight - reported to the press that he saw Shankar consuming excessive liquor and speaking incoherently, repeatedly asking the same question about his family.
Air India issued a statement soon after, banning the man from their flights for 30 days.
However, the directive wasn't enough for the airline's consumers, who took to social media outraged, pressing Air India to take more action against him.
As a result of the incident and the subsequent outrage on social media, Air India issued written notices and grounded one pilot and four cabin crew who, in their judgement, clearly mishandled the incident. They were charged with failing to abide with the regulations to handle an unruly passenger on board.
Air India CEO and managing director, Campbell Wilson, acknowledged that the incident could have been better handled and stated that they were committed to taking action.
Who is responsible for in-flight misdemeanours?
When it comes to in-flight misbehaviour and the handling of unruly passengers, airlines and their passengers both have responsibilities and liabilities.
For example, airlines must ensure that appropriate regulations and laws are followed in the handling of unruly passengers, and that the safety of all passengers is taken seriously. At the same time, passengers have a responsibility to respect norms of behavior and respect the safety of fellow passengers.
In 2017, India issued new standards barring unruly passengers from flying for a minimum of three months to more than two years, depending on the nature of the misdemeanour.
This makes it clear that passengers who fail to adhere to acceptable on-board behaviour can face severe consequences.
In the case of Mishra, this was further underlined by the fact that he lost his job as an executive at Wells Fargo & Company due to his actions.
Air India decided to send written notices and ground one pilot and four cabin crew as a result of the incident. Credit: Unsplash/Lukas Souza.
However, this isn't to say that airlines are off the hook either.
Air India, for instance, took criticism for its initial handling of the incident involving Mishra and as stated above, was forced to issue written notices and ground one pilot and four cabin crew in response.
The airline was also reprimanded by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's air safety watchdog, for not complying with provisions related to handling unruly passengers on board.
Overall, it is clear that both airlines and their passengers must adhere to standards of behaviour and that there are consequences when they fail to do so. Responsible airlines must always ensure that the necessary regulations are followed and that their passengers feel safe while on their plane.
It is also essential to do your part in maintaining a safe and courteous environment on board planes by following airline protocol and respecting the space and privacy of other passengers.
Have you ever witnessed absurd behaviour while flying? Let us know in the comments below.
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