Italian woman passenger punches crew member, creates ruckus on Abu Dhabi-Mumbai flight; arrested

PTI, Jan 31, 2023, 10:02 AM IST

A 45-year-old Italian woman passenger allegedly punched a crew member, spat on another staffer and stripped on board a Vistara flight to Mumbai from Abu Dhabi after she was stopped from entering the business class, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place on Monday and after the flight landed in Mumbai, the crew members handed her over to Sahar police and she was arrested, they said.

Vistara in a statement said the passenger was restrained by the crew for ”unruly and violent behaviour” and the incident was reported to the relevant authorities as per the standard operating procedures.

According to an official from Sahar police station, the woman, identified as Paola Perruccio, boarded the flight at around 2 am on Monday with an economy class ticket.

The woman later entered the business class and when she was stopped by the crew members, she allegedly started abusing them, he said. When the crew members tried to stop the woman from misbehaving, she allegedly punched one of them in the face and spat on another staffer, the official said. When the other crew members rushed to help their colleagues, the woman allegedly started stripping and walked up and down the aisle in that state, he said.

After the flight arrived here on Monday morning, the crew members approached the Sahar police and handed her over to them, the official said. The woman was arrested and booked under various Indian Penal Code Sections including 323 (voluntary causing hurt) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and provisions of the Aircraft Act, the official said.

She was produced before a court and later released on bail, the police added.

Vistara in a statement said, “We confirm that there was an unruly passenger on Vistara flight UK-256 operating from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai on January 30. In view of the continued unruly conduct and violent behaviour, the captain issued a warning card and made a decision to restrain the customer.” The incident was reported to the relevant authorities as per the standard operating procedures, while the security agencies on-ground were informed to take immediate action upon arrival, the full service carrier said.

The pilot made regular announcements to assure the other passengers onboard of their safety and security, it said.