Mid-Air Nightmares Prompt Crackdown: 447 Passengers Placed On ‘No Fly List’ In 9 Years As Unruly Behaviour Escalates
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, August 19, 2026: A terrifying mid-flight ordeal onboard a Kochi-bound international flight has reignited concerns over air passenger misconduct.
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The incident comes as official government figures reveal that a total of 447 passengers have been banned from flying in India since the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) introduced strict regulations to manage unruly travellers in 2017.
Mid-Air Panic On Kochi-Bound Flight
The growing menace of passenger rage reached a boiling point onboard Batik Air flight OD-231, operating from Kuala Lumpur to Kochi. Over a hundred passengers were plunged into a state of sheer terror when a 36-year-old passenger, seated in row 12A, suddenly broke the emergency exit window panel using his foot and attempted to force open the emergency exit door while the aircraft was cruising.
As air gushed through the broken window panel, panic erupted inside the cabin. The passenger began verbally threatening fellow travellers and crew members who scrambled to intervene.
Cabin crew members, aided by quick-thinking passengers, managed to restrain the individual using zip ties and secured him for the remainder of the flight.
The aircraft landed safely at Cochin International Airport, where security personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) immediately boarded the plane, took the suspect into custody and handed him over to local police.
The accused was subsequently booked under the Aircraft Act for endangering aircraft safety, alongside charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal intimidation.
447 Passengers On No-Fly List
The Batik Air incident is far from an isolated event. Official data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation highlights the alarming scale of disruptive passenger behaviour in recent years.
According to the ministry, about 447 unruly individuals have been placed on the national 'No Fly List' since the framework’s inception in 2017. These instances of unruly and objectionable behaviour include breaking aircraft windows and misbehaviour with staff and other passengers, which pose a threat to the safety of passengers and aircraft.
The rules are framed under the Civil Aviation Requirements Section-3 of Air Transport under the title ‘Handling of Unruly or Disruptive Passengers’, which mandates maintenance of good order, discipline and proper safety onboard.
Under the cabin safety circular of 2025, airlines are required to report any incident of passenger misconduct or unruly behaviour via email within 12 hours of occurrence and a comprehensive written report must be submitted to the DGCA within 24 hours of the aircraft landing.
Three Levels Of Misconduct
As per the rules, unruly behaviour is classified into three severity levels, each carrying varying ban durations. While verbal harassment, disruptive behaviour or refusal to follow crew instructions fall under misconduct level-1, it attracts a potential ban of up to three months whereas physical abuse, inappropriate touching or damage to aircraft property or windows is classified as level-2 misconduct and attracts up to six months of flying ban.
However, an act which portrays life-threatening behaviour like an attempt to open exit doors or physical assault on crew or passengers is ranked as the most severe level-3 misconduct, attracting a flying ban from three years to a lifetime.
However, airlines are required to follow a mandatory, standardised process before a passenger's name is added to the official 'No Fly List' maintained by the DGCA.
The independent internal committee, established by the respective airline, has to investigate the incident wherein the committee reviews cabin crew logs, passenger testimonies and evidence to decide if a flying ban is warranted and for what duration. Based on its recommendation, the information is submitted to the DGCA to add the offender to the central 'No Fly List'.
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Notably, a banned individual can file an appeal within 60 days to the appellate committee, headed by a retired High Court judge, set up by MoCA. However, if the committee upholds the ban, the passenger can challenge the order in the High Court.
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