Action initiated, says SpiceJet on smoking video inside aircraft

New Delhi, Aug 11

Referring to a video making rounds on social media of a passenger smoking onboard a SpiceJet aircraft, the airline on Thursday said that the issue was probed, and necessary action was taken into the matter.

The passenger was put on a No Flying list by the airline for 15 days in February this year, said a SpiceJet spokesperson.

"The matter had been investigated thoroughly in January 2022 when the video was brought to our notice and a complaint had been filed by the airline with the Udyog Vihar police station in Gurugram. The video, the investigation had revealed, was shot on January 20 while passengers were boarding the flight SG 706 scheduled to operate from Dubai to Delhi," said a SpiceJet spokesperson.

The airline said that the said passenger and his co-passengers shot the video on the 21st row when the cabin crew were occupied with completing the on-boarding procedure.

"None of the passengers or crew was aware of the act. The matter came to the airline's notice on January 24 through social media posts," it added.

The matter was referred to the Internal Committee constituted as per the provisions of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on handling of unruly passengers (not consisting of any SpiceJet employee). The said passenger was put on a no flying list by the airline for 15 days in February.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday directed the concerned authorities to probe a person who in violation of rules lit up a cigarette and smoked on an aircraft. Responding to a video on Twitter, Scindia said: "Investigating it. There will be no tolerance towards such hazardous behaviour."