During the aircraft’s descent, a 24-year-old Indian national, who was reportedly inebriated, urinated on a Japanese businessman, said Indian media company NDTV. - Photo: Air India/Facebook
NEW DELHI: For the second time in 2½ years, a passenger on board an Air India flight was reported to have urinated on another passenger.
The airline has confirmed the incident, which occurred on Wednesday (April 9) in the business class section of Flight AI2336 from New Delhi to Bangkok, reported local media.
It also said it was investigating the incident.
During the aircraft’s descent, a 24-year-old Indian national, who was reportedly inebriated, urinated on a Japanese businessman, said Indian media company NDTV.
The Japanese passenger was said to have remained calm throughout the incident, as cabin crew members gave him towels and escorted him to the washroom for a change of clothes.
He also did not want to pursue the matter, saying that he did not want to waste his time upon landing.
The perpetrator, who was relocated to another seat, repeatedly apologised to the affected passenger, said an airline official.
The airline has reported the incident to India’s civil aviation regulator, according to The Indian Express newspaper.
It also announced that an independent committee would be formed to review the incident and decide if further action should be taken against the passenger, who has been banned from flying with the airline for 30 days.
In 2023, Air India was fined three million Indian rupees (S$46,500) for its handling of a similar incident in November 2022.
It had made a police report only two months later, after the 72-year-old female victim filed a complaint.
The woman described the incident as “the most traumatic flight” she had ever experienced. She also said that she was told to return to her seat, which smelled of urine even after it was cleaned.
The culprit, identified as Shankar Mishra, reportedly left the airport without facing any action upon landing.
Mishra was subsequently arrested. - The Straits Times/ANN
