Did mp open exit of indigo Trichy flight?
Last month, minutes before takeoff from chennai, an unknown passenger on an indigo ATR-72 turboprop "accidentally" unlocked the right emergency exit, causing a two-hour delay as all passengers were ordered to depart so the plane could undertake necessary safety checks. The incident aboard the flight from chennai to Tiruchirapalli on december 10 is being investigated by the aviation authority DGCA. indigo and the mp did not react to questions about their involvement in the incident until late Tuesday.
The airline has the right to see opening an emergency exit as an inadvertent mistake or "unruly" behaviour, in which case the passenger may be placed on a no-fly list for a set length of time, according to sources.
The possibility of any such punitive action being taken is not mentioned in IndiGo's official statement, which reads, "On december 10, 2022, a passenger on Flight 6E 7339 from chennai to Tiruchirapalli, accidentally opened the emergency exit during the boarding process, while the aircraft was stationary on ground. The passenger quickly expressed regret for their behaviour. The issue was reported in accordance with standard operating protocols, and the aircraft completed necessary technical inspections, which delayed the flight's departure.
According to a source, the mp and another politician travelling with him were given emergency-row seats and given instructions on how to open the door in the event that an evacuation was necessary, in accordance with safety protocol. He claimed that after engineering and other tests, he was allocated a seat away from either emergency exit before the aircraft departed for its destination.
As required by aviation safety regulations, a senior DGCA official confirmed that the airline reported the incident. It seems that while the aeroplane was on the ground, a passenger unintentionally unlocked the right emergency exit. The crew took note, and before the plane took off, all necessary airworthiness procedures were completed, including the door's replacement and pressurisation checks.
