Daily News & Analysis
       
Mumbai, Nov 5: On Saturday, Tehsildar Singh, an Air India passenger, was offloaded twice by the domestic airport authorities following a drinking binge.

Singh arrived at the Air India check-in counter at 4am — the departure time of Flight 137 — and demanded to be accommodated on that flight. Air India officials requested him to take the next flight, at 5.15 am. He was issued a boarding pass and advised to report before the departure time.

“Instead of listening to the suggestion, Singh left the airport,” said Central Industrial Security Force assistant commandant Arun Singh. “At 5.15 am, he was back at the counter vociferously demanding that he be allowed to board the flight.” CISF personnel finally offloaded him and escorted him out of the airport.

Singh pointed out that regulations do not permit inebriated passengers to board flights. “Even airline crew are not permitted to fly if found to have consumed alcohol, sedatives or drugs 12 hours prior to the flight,” he added.

In fact, a few days ago, passengers set to board an Indigo airlines flight were turned back after the pilot said he would be unable to fly, as he had flouted the 12-hour pre-flight norm.