Mumbai: Tempers ran high inside an IndiGo flight at the Mumbai airport after it got detained for nearly three hours. In a video clip that has now gone viral, some passengers are seen abusing airline staff and even kicking at an exit door.
Netizens have reacted strongly to such behaviour by passengers.
The incident reportedly took place on a flight scheduled from Mumbai to Krabi in Thailand. While the date of the incident could not be confirmed, the incident was captured on video and shared by author Tarun Shukla on X.
According to him, the flight was delayed because the pilot was nearing the end of his duty hours. He had informed the airline in advance, but passengers were already boarded, and the long wait led to the ruckus.
In the viral clip, passengers are seen getting up from their seats, shouting and hurling abuses at a lone cabin crew member. People are seen kicking the L1 door (front exit door) while chanting slogans like, “IndiGo hay hay!”
One woman is heard screaming: “Why the f*** is he hiding like a rat?”
Another passenger repeatedly abuses the crew and continues kicking the door. Throughout the chaos, the lone cabin crew member remains composed and calmly handles the situation despite facing aggressive behaviour.
News18 has quoted pilot Vijay Hiremath as saying: “Absolutely unacceptable. Buying a ticket doesn’t give anyone the right to create a nuisance or endanger safety. Indian pilots and cabin crew need stronger authority and zero tolerance for such behaviour. Aviation isn’t a bus stand.”
Several social media users backed the pilot and criticised the passengers’ reckless behaviour.
“The language here is just so crass and sad. I know it’s frustrating, but cussing away like this won’t change a thing,” one of them said.
“It’s a problem. Most people, especially in India, can’t remain calm and resort to verbal or physical abuse just to make themselves feel better,” another one said.
“Paise diye hain…Gaadi chala attitude!! Do these dolts realise it’s their lives at risk if the pilot is not comfortable? You can be angry and upset, but ye kya hai bhai (What is this?),” another netizen reacted.
“This is not right. I understand people are frustrated with the delays. But going to hit the pilot or any crew is a breach in security. The action needs to be taken on this,” another one posted.
While there was no comment from the airline, Shukla said that two passengers involved in the fracas have been detained for their behaviour.
