Indians eating, chatting in aisle during Thailand flight irks passenger: 'Put them on a train'

Passengers on the Thai Air Asia flight. (Screengrab from video @sarcasm.with.ankit/Instagram)

A video capturing a chaotic scene aboard a flight to Thailand has ignited an online debate about travel etiquette among Indian passengers. The footage, shared on Instagram by user Ankit Kumar, reveals passengers standing, eating, and indulged in conversation mid-flight, ignoring repeated requests from the Thai Air Asia cabin crew to remain seated. The clip has drawn widespread criticism and sparked discussions on the need for civic sense among travellers.

Ankit Kumar, who recorded the video, expressed his frustration over the behaviour. “Indians love to insult themselves,” he remarked in the video, which shows groups of passengers gathered in the aisles while the flight is still in mid-air. Despite announcements from the cabin crew urging them to return to their seats, many passengers continued standing, seemingly indifferent to the rules. He ended the video saying, "Put them on a train."

The video has stirred mixed reactions online. Some condemned the behaviour, linking it to broader issues of social conduct. One commenter wrote, “Money doesn’t get you class!” Another pointed out, “Indians need to learn civic sense first, then go among normal people. I’m an Indian too, but some people are just on another level.”

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A post shared by Ankit Kumar (@sarcasm.with.ankit)

Others, however, defended the passengers, noting that standing in the aisle isn’t necessarily a problem if the seatbelt sign is off. “Stop creating a fuss over small matters,” one user countered.
To this, Ankit Kumar, in a follow-up reel said that the passengers were hooting when people were sleeping even as cabin crew requested them to be seated.

The incident also sparked discussions about the behaviour of Indian tourists abroad. A comment by a user claiming to have lived in Thailand for years reflected frustration with the conduct of Indian male tourists. “The women and locals are sick of Indian men the most,” the user remarked.