Passenger and airline staff trade complaints over Hyderabad flight delay

A 29-year-old passenger flying with his cancer-patient mother from Hyderabad to Bagdogra was deboarded from a flight on Sunday after an argument over a delay of four minutes. The airline staff alleged the passenger broke a galley glass partition with his elbow, causing damage worth over Rs1 lakh, and assaulted security personnel. The flight, 6E6872, was delayed from 8.15 am to 9.43 am.

Both sides have filed complaints. The airline registered a case against the passenger under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including voluntarily causing hurt and mischief. The passenger, a PG student from Bihar, countered that the crew responded rudely when he queried the delay, and that airline staff assaulted him with a glass object and forcibly removed him, distressing his mother.

RGI Airport police have registered two FIRs and said notices will be issued to the accused. The Times of India reports that the passenger had been denied boarding days earlier for being late by 10 minutes.