Air India Passenger Breaks Window Pane Mid-Flight, No-Fly Action Looms

An Air India passenger who allegedly smashed the inner pane of an aircraft window during a Chandigarh-Delhi flight has been referred to the airline's internal committee, which will decide whether to declare him an "unruly passenger" and recommend that he be placed on the no-fly list, officials said.

The incident took place on flight AI1879 on June 7 as the aircraft was preparing to land in Delhi. According to officials familiar with the matter, the passenger ignored repeated warnings from the cabin crew before damaging the window.

"The passenger broke the inner glass pane of a window despite being given several verbal and written warnings by the crew," an official said.

The cockpit crew followed standard operating procedure and alerted security agencies before landing. After the aircraft touched down, the passenger was handed over to airport security personnel.

Confirming the incident, an Air India spokesperson said, "Flight AI1879 operating from Chandigarh to Delhi on June 7 landed safely at Delhi following an incident involving an unruly passenger during the flight. The cockpit crew followed the standard operating procedure and, after issuing warnings to the passenger, reported the matter to the security team at Delhi airport. Safety of passengers, crew and the aircraft was never compromised at any point during the flight."

The airline said the matter has also been reported to the aviation regulator and reiterated that it has a strict policy against disruptive behaviour on board.

"Air India follows a zero-tolerance policy for behaviour that can impact the safety and security of passengers and staff," the spokesperson said.

An airport official said the passenger had been "aggressive and dismissive of repeated warnings" by the cabin crew, but "started repeatedly apologising once he was handed over to security personnel".

The matter has now been referred to Air India's internal committee, which will examine whether the passenger should be formally classified as unruly and what action should follow under existing rules.

Under the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), 2017, all such cases are reviewed by an airline's internal committee, which has up to 30 days to decide the category of the offence and the duration of any flying ban. Until then, airlines can impose a temporary ban of up to 30 days.