23 September,2015 03:24 PM IST | | Neha LM Tripathi
The passengers, two of whom had consumed alcohol before boarding, were asked to deplane from the Delhi-bound IndiGo aircraft after their loud argument on Hinduism disturbed others
Loudly airing your opinion in public spaces can land you in deep trouble. Four passengers on a Delhi-bound flight discovered this on Monday after they were offloaded and taken to the police for creating a ruckus by engaging in a drunken debate on religion.
The passengers had to be offloaded from the Delhi-bound IndiGo flight 6E-668 after the crew members realised that some sensitive topics were being vociferously argued upon onboard. The incident took place while the flight was readying for departure at 11.15 pm.
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Two of the passengers, who were later noticed to have consumed alcohol, were having a discussion on Hinduism and provoking fellow passengers to join in. Two others took up the offer and ended up being asked to deplane as well. Crew members on the flight noticed that the four passengers were creating a chaotic and ill-tempered environment on the flight.
Representational pic
"The pilot was informed about the incident and because he has the power to take the final call, all four passengers were offloaded since they were seen as a potential threat to the aircraft," explained a senior security official from IndiGo. He added that the passengers had formed two groups and had heated arguments on religion.
The errant passengers were offloaded at 11.33 pm and taken to the local police by airline security staff. Even after reaching the police station, the passengers were initially not ready to accept the reasons for which they were offloaded. Later, however, the police let them off without pressing any charges after they apologised for their actions.
Delay
The IndiGo flight was delayed by an hour. The flight was scheduled to depart with 168 passengers and six crew members at 11.15 pm but it came back to the bay at 11.33 pm. It finally departed at 12.15 am with 164 passengers.
Airline speak
"The passengers were offloaded because they were drunk. Any untoward conduct, which compromises the security of our crew and passengers, is of serious concern to us. We regret the inconvenience caused to other passengers and hope to provide a hassle-free travel experience on board our airline," said an IndiGo spokesperson.
