'Are You Anpadh?': Passenger Claims Pilot Assaulted Him After Heated Argument Over 'Cutting Queue', Airline Takes Action

New Delhi: A passenger at the Delhi airport was allegedly assaulted by an Air India Express pilot after the two got into a heated argument. The passenger claimed that the airline staff was “cutting the queue ahead of him.” The middle-aged man who was flying with his family claimed that they were guided to use the security check that the staff uses, because they had a four month old baby, when the incident took place.

In a post on X, the man described that when he called out the airline staff for not following the queue, the pilot, Captain Virender, asked him if he could not read the signs that stated that the entry was only for staff. This led to a "verbal scuffle," he said, which escalated into the pilot physically assaulting him. The passenger, Ankit Dewan also posted a photo of him, showing his face bloodied, as well as two photos of the pilot.  

Dewan claimed on X that the incident has ruined his holiday as he rushed to see a doctor. He also stated that his seven-year-old daughter was left traumatised after seeing the incident.

The passenger questioned the airline as well as Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), whether such pilots who cannot exercise restraint in a scuffle can be trusted to fly. Dewan also questioned the Delhi Airport for combining staff entry with passenger carrying infants, which leads to such a chaos at a crucial security area.

Dewan also claimed that he was forced to write a letter that he will not follow up on the matter. “It was either write that letter, or miss my flight and throw the 1.2 lakhs holiday bookings down the drain,” he said, questioning the Delhi Police why he cannot file a complaint after returning from his trip. He also questioned if the the CCTV footage of the incident will disappear in two days till he is back in Delhi.

What Did Air India Express Say

Air India Express issued an apology after the incident on X. They clarified that the pilot was traveling as a passenger on another airline. The airline declared that the employee has been "immediately" removed from all his official duties and stated that action will be taken against him after a thorough investigation. 

The airline also said it will remain fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement authorities to ensure a fair and rigorous process.

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