There was drama at the Chennai Airport in the early hours of Sunday when a 30-year-old Japanese passenger was forced to get down from a flight as he created a ruckus, reportedly under the influence of liquor.
According to sources, a Thai Airways flight reached the airport from Bangkok at 11.30 p.m. on Saturday and was scheduled to return to the Thai capital a little past midnight.
All 194 passengers were on board. The flight was getting ready for departure and moments before the doors were closed, a passenger called out aloud for a drink to be served to him.
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One of the flight crew went to his seat and asked him to calm down.
However, the passenger insisted that he be served a drink.
Even when the air hostess reminded him that the plane had not even taken off, the passenger insisted on being served a drink.
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The cabin crew tried to pacify him, but in vain.
They then informed the flight captain, who warned the passenger to behave himself and informed him that they could not serve any further drinks as he (the passenger) was already under the influence of alcohol.
The passenger, however, insisted that he be served a drink immediately.
The captain informed the air traffic control tower of the problem. Airport authorities and other security agencies' were also informed.
Officers went to the flight and after establishing that the passenger was not in a condition to travel and that he might cause a disturbance during the journey, got him out of the plane. He was accommodated in a lounge and his luggage was taken off the aircraft. The flight left for Bangkok after a delay of nearly an hour.
Airport sources, who identified the passenger as Yen Sung, said that he was accommodated in one of the subsequent flights to Bangkok later in the day.