BENGALURU: A passenger on an Air India Express flight (IX-1086) from Bengaluru to Varanasi on Monday attempted to enter the aircraft’s cockpit, claiming that he tried to open it by mistake as he is a first-time flyer and was looking for the toilet, sources said.
He also tried to enter a code into the passcode-controlled locking mechanism, but was unsuccessful, the sources said.
The passenger and eight of his companions on the flight were handed over to security officials at the Varanasi airport.
There was some speculation that he had entered the correct passcode, but sources with direct knowledge of the matter said that was not the case. The cockpit access code is known only to the pilots and the cabin crew.
The flight took off from the Kempegowda International Airport at 8 am and landed in Varanasi at 10.27 am, 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled time.
‘Flyer’s intention not malicious’
The passenger and his companions were then handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force for further investigation. Sources claimed that the passenger’s intention was not malicious.
“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 were not compromised. The matter was reported to the relevant authorities on landing and is currently under investigation,” said an Air India Express Spokesperson.