The passenger may be put on a no-fly list, sources have said. (Representational image)
- Passenger on Air India Express flight IX-1086 tried to open cockpit door mid-air
- The passenger was a first-time flyer and a probe found no mala fide: sources
- Cockpit door requires passcode and captain's approval to unlock access
A passenger flying from Bengaluru to Varanasi sparked a mid-air scare on an Air India Express flight when he tried to open the cockpit door. Airline sources have said the passenger was found to be a first-time flyer and a preliminary probe has not revealed any malicious intentions.
The Air India Express flight IX-1086 took off from Bengaluru just after 8 am. Mid-air, a passenger approached the cockpit door and tried to open it, sources said. The door to the cockpit is secured, and one must punch in a passcode to unlock it. After the passcode is entered, the captain can allow or deny access. The passenger failed to access the cockpit, and the crew took him back to his seat.
Sources in the airline have trashed reports that the passenger managed to open the cockpit door.
The passenger was flying with seven others. He was handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel after the flight landed in Varanasi. The CISF has said that they re-checked the luggage of the passenger as well as the seven others accompanying him.
Air India Express stressed that its robust safety protocols were "not compromised". "We are aware of media reports regarding an incident on one of our flights to Varanasi, where a passenger approached the cockpit entry area while looking for the lavatory. We reaffirm that robust safety and security protocols are in place and were not compromised. The matter was reported to the relevant authorities on landing and is currently under investigation," the statement said.
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