THE FLIER TRIED TO OPEN THE COCKPIT DOOR

By Anshika Khera

A shocking example of rogue fliers creating nuisance and chaos on a plane came as a passenger onboard a flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi tried to open the cockpit door mid air today. The Air India Express flight IX-1086 took off from Bengaluru just after 8 am. Mid-air, a passenger approached the cockpit door and tried to open it. The door to a cockpit is secured and is opened if one enters the passcode and is allowed access by the pilot . The male passenger failed to enter the passcode and was returned to his seat by the crew.

It is not known yet why the passenger attempted to access the cockpit. He was flying with eight others. The passenger was handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel after the flight landed in Varanasi.

Air India did not share the specifics in the statement on the chain of events but assured that its robust safety protocols were not compromised. “We are aware of media reports regarding an incident on one of our flights to Varanasi, where a passenger approached the cockpit entry area while looking for the lavatory. We reaffirm that robust safety and security protocols are in place and are not compromised. The matter was reported to the relevant authorities on landing and is currently under investigation,” the statement said. According to the sources, the passenger has been handed over to the police and may be put on a no fly list for his mid air adventure.