In a rare display of unified industry action, major Indian airlines have collectively imposed a flight ban on an army officer who allegedly carried out a severe physical assault on four members of the SpiceJet staff at Srinagar Airport in July. The decision for the collective ban was prompted by the extreme severity of the attack, which left one airline employee severely injured.
Officials aware of the details confirmed on Monday that the following major carriers have imposed a ban on the individual: IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, and Akasa Air.
Gruesome Details of the Attack
The violent incident took place on July 26 at the boarding gate for SpiceJet flight SG 386 from Srinagar to Delhi.
According to a statement released by SpiceJet shortly after the incident, the dispute began after staff politely informed the officer, later identified as Lieutenant Colonel Ritesh Kumar Singh, that his two cabin bags weighed 16 kg, which was more than double the permitted 7 kg limit.
When asked to pay the applicable charges for the excess baggage, the officer “refused and forcefully entered the aerobridge without completing the boarding process – a clear violation of aviation security protocols.” He was escorted back to the gate by a CISF official.
At the gate, the situation escalated dramatically. The airline stated that the passenger “grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four members of the SpiceJet ground staff.”
The Consequences of Violence
Officials underscored that the severity of the attack was the primary reason for the industry-wide ban. One official, speaking anonymously, stated that the attack was of a “gruesome nature” and left one of the employees with two fractures on his back, rendering him bedridden for three months.
A video of the incident, widely circulated on August 3, showed the officer striking staff, including hitting them with a queue stand. Another official detailed the attack, saying the airline employees were subjected to “grave physical abuse as well as life-threatening violence and grievous hurt when the passenger slapped, punched and kicked them in the back, face and abdomen.”
They emphasized that the officer was clearly the aggressor, noting that there was “no provocation or humiliation” as the request for extra baggage payment is a standard industry norm. Such “grave physical assault is absolutely unacceptable in any scenario,” the official added.
Industry Zero Tolerance
The collective action by major airlines was deemed necessary to send a strong message regarding the safety of frontline aviation workers, who often face aggressive behaviour while enforcing basic rules. A senior official stated that this level of violence “cannot be normalised,” and the ban reflects a zero-tolerance approach across the entire sector.
SpiceJet had previously declared the officer “unruly” in August and placed him on the airline’s own No Fly List. The airline also lodged a case with the local police and provided CCTV footage of the incident. The Army, in an August 3 statement, had confirmed it was fully cooperating with the authorities in the investigations.
As per civil aviation rules (CAR), the passenger maintains the right to appeal the ban.