Another case of smoking mid-flight has surfaced in India, this time on an IndiGo flight, with a passenger once again trying to carry out the act inside the aircraft toilet. Such cases almost always end up with the passenger being apprehended by authorities and also receive media coverage. But even these are, apparently, not-good-enough deterrents for some flyers to hold off smoking even on shorter domestic flights.
Another case of smoking mid-flight
A passenger was caught smoking inside the lavatory of an IndiGo aircraft performing a domestic flight between Kolkata and Bengaluru. The incident took place on March 5th, and the passenger in question has been reported to be a 24-year-old woman.
The entire episode played out quite similarly to other such cases. The passenger went to the lavatory and lit a cigarette, despite the crew warning everyone during pre-departure announcements that the lavatories were fitted with smoke detectors.
IndiGo flight attendants were then alerted to the situation when they detected smoke coming out of the toilet. They had to force open the door only to find the passenger smoking inside. The flight’s captain was made aware of the incident and then informed the airport authorities in Bengaluru. The accused was arrested upon landing but was later released on bail.
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Ignoring the consequences
The latest incident occurred just a day after a passenger was caught smoking inside the lavatory of an Air India flight from Kolkata to New Delhi. Delhi ATC was informed about what had happened, and the passenger was also handed over to the police after landing. He informed the authorities that he was a chain smoker. In January, a 62-year-old man was found smoking inside the lavatory of a SpiceJet plane. He, too, was handed over to the police and later let off on bail.
All of these incidents took place on domestic flights in India. On average, such flights usually last for two hours and are performed by smaller narrowbody jets. Passengers are clearly warned during pre-departure announcements about smoke detectors inside lavatories and also the legal consequences of smoking in an aircraft. Still, some passengers continue to risk being arrested for an act that is quite easily caught.
Unruly behavior
Many passengers on Indian flights or flights bound for India are increasingly being reported for unruly behavior. The year began with the news of a shocking incident of a passenger urinating on a fellow business class passenger on a New York-Delhi Air India flight. This was followed by a few instances of passengers engaging in verbal arguments and even physical assaults with each other as well as with the crew.
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Recently, an Indian student was arrested after urinating on himself and a fellow passenger while inebriated on an American Airlines flight from New York to Delhi
