TV
In a shocking security lapse, an Air India Express passenger who was supposed to fly from Srinagar to Bagdogra via Delhi ended up hundreds of kilometers away in Bhubaneswar. The bizarre incident unfolded on Wednesday, July 30, raising serious concerns about airport and airline protocols.
Wrong Flight, Wrong City
The young passenger boarded Air India Express Flight IX 1128, an Airbus A320 (VT-EXA), from Srinagar to Delhi. Upon landing in Delhi at 3:05 PM, he was supposed to deboard and take a connecting flight to Bagdogra. However, for reasons not yet confirmed—possibly because he dozed off—he remained seated inside the aircraft.
The same plane was scheduled to continue from Delhi to Bhubaneswar, also as Flight IX 1128, and took off again at 3:55 PM, this time with an unintentional extra passenger onboard.
Mid-Air Realization, Quick Recovery
It remains unclear whether the cabin crew discovered the stowaway themselves or if the passenger alerted them. Regardless, the pilots were informed mid-air, and ground teams in Bhubaneswar were notified.
Once the aircraft landed, the airline arranged for the passenger to be flown back to Delhi on the return leg of the same aircraft. He was accommodated in a hotel overnight and flown to Bagdogra the next day.
Airline Response & Probe Ordered
An Air India Express spokesperson acknowledged the error, stating that an internal investigation is underway. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has also been notified and will conduct an independent probe to identify procedural failures.
This startling breach has raised eyebrows over basic passenger headcounts and transit SOP enforcement, with a strong call for systemic reforms.
