Aviation Minister Scindia responds to Indigo Emergency door episode; 'Was a mistake'

Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday, when asked about the December 10 incident when a passenger onboard an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Tiruchirapalli, opened the emergency door, said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has already taken note. 

"I think it is important not to be circumspect about the entire issue. But look at the facts, the facts are that the door did open by mistake while the plane was on the ground. All the checks were taken and after that only the plane was allowed to take off," Scindia said. 

Is the passenger Tejasvi Surya? 

Political parties in the opposition have claimed that the passenger was Member of Parliament, Tejasvi Surya. Raising apprehensions about the incident being discussed approximately 37 days later, Congress shared news reports and called it a 'very serious issue'. 

Chairperson of Social Media and Digital Platforms of Congress Supriya Shrinate said, "A mischievous man opens the emergency exit door on a flight, causing the flight to be delayed by 3 hours, the name of the person who put people at risk and inconvenience was not revealed for a month. Drunk on power - that MP spreads hatred every day. This spoiled Tejasvi Surya needs to be taught a lesson." 

Priyank Kharge, a Member of the Karnataka Assembly, wrote, "@IndiGo6E did not report to DGCA. Did the MP use good offices to suppress this news? Emergency exit unlocked on-board Indigo flight, co-passenger claims it was BJP MP Tejasvi Surya."

He cited Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister and DMK leader V Senthil Balaji's tweet of December 29, 2022, about the opening of an emergency exit door on a Chennai-Trichy flight and hinted at the involvement of Tejasvi Surya and BJP’s Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai, who was accompanying the Bengaluru South MP.

"Earlier TN Minister Sri @V_Senthilbalaji too reported this on @Tejasvi_Surya & @annamalai_k . Their action could have proved costly to co-passengers. The MP should come clean on this issue. What is the DGCA & Ministry if Civil Aviation doing?" Kharge further wrote in the tweet. 

DGCA issues statement

On Tuesday, the DGCA issued a statement in which it said, “A passenger travelling on Flight 6E 7339 from Chennai to Tiruchirapalli on Dec 10, 2022, accidentally opened the emergency exit during the boarding process. The passenger immediately apologised for their action.”

“As per SOPs, the incident was logged and the aircraft underwent mandatory engineering checks, which led to a delay in the flight's departure,” the statement further said.