An Italian woman was arrested by Mumbai Police on Monday after she allegedly created ruckus on a Vistara flight from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai. The 45-year-old woman, who had an economy class ticket, allegedly punched a cabin crew member and spat on another after she insisted on sitting in the business class, according to reports. She also stripped partially and walked in the aisle in a semi-naked state, reports said.
The incident took place soon after the flight took off from Abu Dhabi at 2:03 am, India time, on Monday, January 30, according to the complaint filed by a Vistara cabin crew member.
“At around 2.30 am, the woman, who was seated in the economy class, suddenly got up, ran to the business class and took a seat there. Two members of the cabin crew approached her to enquire if she needed help,” Hindustan Times quoted a Mumbai Police officer as saying.
“When the flier did not respond, they requested her to return to her assigned seat. At this point, she started shouting at them and made aggressive gestures, leading the crew to suspect she was abusing them.”
When the crew tried to stop the woman from misbehaving, she allegedly punched of them and spat on another, Hindustan Times reported, quoting the police complaint. By then, other crew members had rushed to help their colleagues. Soon after, the woman started to take her clothes off.
“Much to the horror of the crew and other passengers, the woman started walking up and down the aisle without some of her clothes on. The ruckus continued for quite some time before the woman could be subdued and restrained,” the police officer said.
After landing in Mumbai, Vistara staff handed over the woman to the airport security officials. She was handed over to the police eventually.
The woman was identified as Paola Perruccio who was born in Italy's Sondrio.
"We confirm that there was an unruly passenger on Vistara flight UK 256 operating from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai on 30 January 2023. Captain issued a warning card and made a decision to restrain the customer. Security agencies on-ground were informed to take immediate action upon arrival,” Vistara said in a statement.
The incident comes weeks reports emerged of a drunk male passenger allegedly exposing himself and urinating on a woman passenger inside the business class of Air India flight from New York to Delhi in November last year.
Soon after the shocking Air India incident, came to light, several instances of unruly passengers on flights emerged.
A drunk passenger allegedly urinated on a woman's blanket on an Air India flight from Paris to Delhi. As soon the plane landed, he was detained by Central Industrial Security Force officers. But he was allowed to go after he gave a written apology and a mutual agreement was reached with his co-passenger.
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