Fight on Bangkok-Kolkata flight: Aviation authorities inquiring about video clip of passengers' scuffle

The video clip of the scuffle onboard Thai Smile Airways flight where a passenger was being slapped multiple times by a few co-passengers was shared on social media.

Image: Twitter

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Thursday said it is inquiring about the video clip of a scuffle between passengers onboard a plane from Bangkok to Kolkata earlier this week. The video clip of the scuffle where a passenger was being slapped multiple times by a few co-passengers was shared on social media on Wednesday. "BCAS has taken cognisance of the video. We have started inquiring and further action will be taken depending on the inquiry outcome," BCAS Director General Zulfiquar Hasan told PTI on Thursday.

According to a passenger who was onboard the plane, the incident happened on December 26, just before the plane was taxiing to the runway for takeoff. The plane landed at Kolkata early morning on Tuesday, the passenger, who was travelling with his mother, said.

The passenger, who is from Kolkata, told PTI about the incident on condition of anonymity. He said that he was worried about his mother who was sitting near the seat where the incident happened.

According to the passenger, the reason for the scuffle was not clear. Later, other passengers and airhostess pacified the individuals involved in the scuffle, he added. It could not be immediately ascertained whether the incident was reported to the authorities in Kolkata after landing.

In the clip, two passengers were seen arguing before one of them first said 'haath neeche kar' (put down your hands) and then started slapping the other person. A few other passengers were also involved in the scuffle.

Thai Smile Airways could not be immediately contacted for comments. Last week, a video clip of a heated exchange between a passenger and an airhostess onboard an IndiGo flight from Istanbul to Delhi was shared on social media.

The heated exchange over choice of meals onboard the flight happened on December 16. IndiGo and DGCA, last week, said they were looking into the incident.