A Delhi-Mumbai SpiceJet flight faced a significant delay on Monday after two passengers attempted to enter the cockpit while the aircraft was taxiing, prompting immediate security action and a return to the bay. The incident led to the offloading of the passengers and delayed the flight by nearly seven hours. The aircraft, operating as SpiceJet flight SG 9282, was initially scheduled to depart from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 12:30pm but eventually took off at 7:21pm. According to airline sources and flight tracking data, the delay followed a serious in-flight security violation as the aircraft was preparing for takeoff.
According to airport officials, the two passengers created a scene by forcefully moving toward the cockpit, ignoring repeated instructions from the crew and fellow passengers to return to their seats. The flight crew acted swiftly by alerting ground control and returning the aircraft to the terminal bay. Security personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were deployed immediately and the two individuals were removed from the aircraft. Airline authorities stated that the safety and security of passengers and crew remained the highest priority. “The two passengers continued to display unruly behaviour despite repeated warnings, compelling the captain to abort the taxiing and return to the bay,” an official spokesperson confirmed. The passengers were subsequently handed over to CISF officials for further investigation.
The incident has once again raised concerns over in-flight security breaches and the increasing cases of passenger misbehaviour in Indian aviation. Industry experts believe stricter enforcement of no-fly lists and enhanced passenger screening procedures may be necessary as air travel continues to rebound and grow. In a separate event the previous day, another SpiceJet flight—SG 914 from Pune to Delhi—was delayed by over nine hours following a technical snag. Though passengers reported a sudden halt after the aircraft had begun taxiing toward the runway, airline officials clarified that the aircraft returned to the bay as a precaution. The passengers were deplaned within an hour, and the flight eventually took off at 9:05pm.
While such events are not entirely uncommon in high-density aviation sectors like India, the back-to-back disruptions involving the same airline underscore the critical need for operational resilience and heightened onboard security. Experts note that while the aviation industry has made substantial strides in ensuring technical reliability, passenger conduct remains a growing challenge, especially with rising travel volumes. Security professionals have commended the prompt response from the airline and CISF officials, reiterating that any attempt to breach cockpit access—even during taxiing—must be treated with the utmost seriousness due to the severe risks it poses to flight operations.
As investigations continue, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to review the incidents for possible violations of air safety norms, potentially recommending stricter guidelines for handling passenger misbehaviour in future cases.
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