Drunk Man Urinated on Female Passenger in Air India Business Class Flight, Walked Free

In a bizarre incident, Air India put a 30-day travel ban on a passenger who reportedly urinated on a female passenger during a business-class flight from New York to Delhi. The unruly passenger was inebriated and the airline is said to have allowed him to walk freely even after the flight landed.

In a letter to N Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Group, a female business class passenger of an Air India flight from New York to Delhi described the ordeal she went through. She explained that on November 26, shortly after lunch when the lights were switched off, an inebriated male passenger walked up to her seat and started urinating. He then stood there and only walked away when another passenger asked him to leave. Furthermore, the crew did not confront him and he was allowed to walk free even after landing in Delhi.

“My clothes, shoes and bag were completely soaked in urine. The stewardess followed me to the seat, verified that it smelled of urine, and sprayed disinfectant on my bag and shoes…,” she added.

The female passenger was given pyjamas and disposable slippers to change into but did not want to return to her seat. She was given a narrow crew seat which she sat on for an hour after which the crew asked her to return to her seat. The seat was covered with sheets but still smelled of urine so after another two hours, she was offered another crew seat where she sat for the rest of the flight. This, despite there being several empty seats in first class which she learnt later from fellow passengers.

“Clearly the crew did not feel that taking care of a distressed passenger was a priority. At the end of the flight, the staff told me they would get me a wheelchair to ensure that I clear customs as early as possible. However, the wheelchair deposited me at a waiting area, where I waited for 30 minutes, and nobody came to get me. I finally had to clear customs on my own and collect the luggage by myself — all in Air India pyjamas and socks,” she said.

In response, Air India said a police report has been filed against the accused and an investigation is underway. He has been banned for 30 days or till the decision of the internal committee. Additionally, the airline is also looking into the lack of action on the crew’s part and will address the “deficiencies that delayed quick redressal of the situation.”

Vineet Washington