Something deeply disturbing is unfolding in Indian skies. The increase in mid-air fracas and tarmac scuffles involving unruly passengers is no longer a rarity—it’s becoming an ugly norm. What was once unthinkable in the era of “feel-good” flying is now an all-too-common headline: violent outbursts, abusive rants, and even full-blown assaults onboard commercial flights. The most shocking recent incident involved a serving Indian Army officer allegedly assaulting two SpiceJet airline employees at Delhi airport over excess baggage and boarding clearance. While the facts must be established through an impartial investigation, one thing is crystal clear: nothing justifies physical violence, least of all by someone in uniform, trained to represent discipline and decorum. This brazen display of aggression not only tarnishes the image of the Indian armed forces but also shakes public trust. Especially at a time when the nation stands united in applauding our soldiers for their valour in the recent four-day border confrontation, such misbehaviour is a slap in the face of every Indian who proudly supports the armed forces. A few rotten apples should not be allowed to embarrass an entire institution. But this is hardly an isolated case. Earlier this year, a shocking video surfaced showing a passenger on a Go First flight manhandling the pilot during boarding. In another incident, a drunk flyer on an Indigo flight from Delhi to Mumbai created a scene mid-air, threatening fellow passengers and refusing to obey the crew. A few months prior, an Air India international flight had to turn around after a passenger urinated on a fellow traveller—an act so grotesque it forced aviation authorities to intervene with punitive measures. In February 2023, a Vistara flight from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai saw a flyer attacking a cabin crew member for not serving alcohol fast enough. And in March 2024, a group of men on a Hyderabad-bound flight from Dubai got into a brawl mid-air, forcing the pilot to request security on landing. The pattern is clear: Indian flyers are misbehaving frequently and flagrantly.
The question is: why has air travel become an arena for such public disorder? One reason is the absence of a real deterrent. While the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has a “no-fly list,” enforcement is rare and often delayed. Most offenders get away with a slap on the wrist, emboldening others to act without fear. Airlines file complaints, but prosecution rarely follows through. This must change—and fast. India urgently needs a robust and non-negotiable legislation that makes physical assault or severe verbal abuse on a flight a criminal offence punishable by a minimum of one year’s imprisonment, non-bailable, and fast-tracked through special courts. Second, any passenger found guilty of violent behaviour onboard should be declared ‘persona non grata’—automatically banned from flying on any domestic or international carrier operating in India for a minimum of five years. Repeat offenders should be banned for life. Third, airlines should be empowered to refuse boarding rights without lengthy procedural delays. The crew’s version of events must be considered primary unless proven otherwise, just like how the pilot’s word is final on safety matters. Air travel is a privilege, not a public wrestling arena. Passengers board aircraft with the trust that the flight will be safe and orderly. Crew members, often young professionals doing their job under stress, must not become punching bags for entitled hooligans. The skies are no place for savagery. India has made enormous strides in making air travel accessible to the middle class. But with that, democratization must come with responsibility and behavioural standards. We cannot let our airways turn into flying battlegrounds. The time for tokenism is over. Ban them. Jail them. Shame them. Let the message be loud and clear: unruly behaviour has consequences, and in Indian skies, those consequences will be unforgiving.
