A passenger on an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi caused a stir when he tried to open the cockpit door, thinking it led to the lavatory. The airline confirmed the incident on Monday, saying the man was one of just nine people on board.
Crew members quickly stepped in, detained the passenger, and handed him over to the Central Industrial Security Force right after the plane landed. An Air India Express spokesperson explained, “We’re looking into reports of this event on our Varanasi flight, where a passenger headed toward the cockpit area while searching for the bathroom.”
The airline stressed that their strong safety and security measures held up without any issues, and they’ve already notified the proper authorities. Officials are investigating the matter now.
In other Air India Express news, the carrier announced new daily direct flights from Bengaluru to Bangkok, kicking off this Thursday. These flights will depart Bengaluru at 11 a.m. IST and arrive in Bangkok by 4:45 p.m. IST, offering hassle-free travel to Thailand just in time for the festive and holiday rush.
This comes after an earlier scare earlier this month on an Air India Express flight from Delhi to Indore. The plane hit a mid-air engine problem, leading pilots to issue a “PAN-PAN” alert to air traffic control. That’s the aviation code for an urgent but non-emergency situation needing quick help.
The flight, IX 1028, had 161 passengers on board. Crew spotted a possible oil filter glitch as they descended into Indore on September 5. Everyone landed safely with no injuries.
On the business side, Air India and its budget sister airline, Air India Express, posted a combined pre-tax loss of Rs 9,568.4 crore for the financial year ending in 2025. Air India Express, which had been in the black for years, took a big hit with losses of Rs 5,678.2 crore.
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