Mumbai: An Italian woman passenger was arrested on Monday after she allegedly created ruckus on board a Vistara Airline flight (UK 256) from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai. Sahar police, who registered a case on the airline staff’s complaint, said the flyer, Paola Perruccio, who was inebriated, allegedly punched a cabin crew member and spat on another after crew members objected to her sitting in a business-class seat though she was in the economy class. The woman also took off some clothes and walked up and down the aisle in a partially naked state.
In order to rein her in, the cabin crew on the captain’s instructions overpowered Perruccio, got her dressed and tied her to a seat at the rear end of the flight till it landed at Mumbai international airport at around 5 am.
According to police officials, the incident took place after the aircraft took off from Abu Dhabi at 2.03am (IST) on Monday. The complainant Labat Khan, who has been working with the airline for five years and was crew member of the Abu Dhabi-Mumbai flight, said that at around 2.30 am, the Italian national left her allotted seat (11 C) and took a seat in the business class.
Police seized Perruccio’s passport and also filed a chargesheet in the case after producing her before Andheri court. She was later released on bail.
“The incident has been reported to the relevant authorities as per the SOPs. Vistara stands firm with its zero-tolerance policy against unruly behaviour that endangers the safety, security, and dignity of its customers and staff,” Vistara spokesperson said in a statement.
DCP (zone VIII) Dikshit Gedam said the chargesheet was filed in record time after completing the probe and recording statements of the crew and witnesses, the supporting technical evidence and the flyer’s medical report.
