New Delhi:
An Indian national urinated on a fellow passenger in a Delhi-Bangkok Air India flight today, sources said. While Air India in a statement confirmed an incident of unruly passenger behaviour, it did not mention the nature of the incident.
Tushar Masand, 24, who was on board flight AI 2336 was drunk and urinated on the managing director of a company, sources said.
The Tata Group-owned airline has banned Mr Masand from flying with Air India for 30 days as an interim move. Other airlines may ban him from flying based on what an independent committee finds, sources said.
Mr Masand, who was at seat 2D, had downed two glasses of single malt before he got up and urinated on the businessman, who is a Japanese national, sources said, adding the passenger seated next to the businessman also complained he was affected.
The matter has been reported to the authorities, and Air India offered to help the “aggrieved passenger” in Bangkok, sources said, adding action may be taken against the unruly passenger.
The “aggrieved passenger” declined Air India’s offer to provide help in taking up the matter with the authorities after landing in Bangkok, the airline said in the statement.
Taking note of the incident, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told news agency ANI officials will speak to the airline.
“Whenever these kinds of incidents happen, the ministry takes note of them. They will speak to the airline, and if there is any wrongdoing, then we will take necessary action,” Mr Kinjarapu said.
Air India in the statement said the crew followed all laid down procedures.
“… In addition to warning the unruly passenger, our crew offered to assist an aggrieved passenger to take up a grievance with authorities in Bangkok, which was declined at the time. The standing independent committee will be convened to assess the incident and determine the action, if any, to be taken against the unruly passenger. Air India continues to follow the SOPs as laid out by DGCA in such matters,” the airline said, referring to standard operating procedure and the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Multiple incidents of passengers urinating on co-flyers allegedly after consuming liquor have been reported in the last two years.
An Indian student at a US university, Arya Vohra, was banned by American Airlines after he allegedly urinated on a co-passenger in March 2023.
In November 2024, a drunk man allegedly urinated on an elderly woman in the business class of an Air India flight.
