MUMBAI: A 45-year-old Italian woman was arrested on Monday for assaulting crew members on a Vistara Abu Dhabi-Mumbai flight. The airline said Paola Perucchio. Who had an economy class ticket, insisted on sitting in business class and assaulted a crew member when stopped. He allegedly punched a cabin crew member, spat at another and walked partially naked on the flight. He was arrested by the Mumbai police on a complaint by the cabin crew, but was later granted bail by a Mumbai court.
Ms Peruscio had to be restrained mid-flight for “disorderly and violent behaviour”.
“Given the continued behavior and violent behavior, the captain issued a warning card and decided to restrain the customer. The pilot made regular announcements to other customers on board to ensure their safety and security. As per the guidelines and our strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), in the field. The security agencies on hand were informed to take action upon arrival,” Filhra said in a statement.
He took off some of his clothes and walked up and down the corridors partially naked, abusing and attacking crew members.
After registering a case against the passenger, the Mumbai police filed the chargesheet within a day.
“Mumbai police filed chargesheet in record time in a case of mistreatment of an airline passenger mid-air,” police said.
A medical examination was also conducted on the woman before she was booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Police said they have completed all formalities to record statements of passengers, crew and others.
The shocking incident is the latest in several that have come to light recently where passengers have misbehaved with fellow passengers and crew members. Airlines in India have also been under increased scrutiny since last year. Due to several mechanical malfunctions, and more recently due to crews’ handling of passengers.
Two Air India flights are under investigation for incidents involving drunken passengers.
The crew of a New York-Delhi flight was de-rostered after a drunken passenger urinated on an elderly woman. On another Air India Paris-Delhi flight, a drunken passenger urinated on a female passenger’s empty seat and blanket. Another passenger, drunk, was caught smoking in the lavatory and refusing to respond to instructions.
Two other incidents of trying to open an emergency exit, one in mid-air, also sparked outrage and concern around safety.
Two days ago, a passenger traveling on an IndiGo flight from Nagpur to Mumbai allegedly tried to remove the emergency exit cover. While the plane was in the air and heading for landing.
This was days after the national aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revealed that a passenger on the IndiGo. Chennai-Tiruchirappalli flight had opened the emergency door on December 10 last year. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia later confirmed that the passenger. Was Tejashwi Surya and said he had opened the door “by mistake” and apologized for it.
