Passenger Detained for Attempting to Open Emergency Exit on Akasa Air Flight

An Akasa Air flight from Varanasi to Mumbai faced a serious incident when a passenger attempted to open the emergency exit door before takeoff. The passenger, Sujit Singh, was detained by authorities after the cabin crew alerted the pilot, leading to the flight's return to the apron. Following questioning, Singh claimed curiosity was his motive. The flight eventually departed after security clearance. Additionally, Akasa Air is expanding its services, including new routes to Abu Dhabi and increased flights from various cities. Discover more about this incident and the airline's growth plans.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 4, 2025, 19:39 IST

Incident on Akasa Air Flight QP 1497

A passenger traveling from Varanasi to Mumbai on an Akasa Air flight was taken into custody for allegedly trying to open the emergency exit door before takeoff. Authorities reported this incident on Tuesday. The flight, designated QP 1497, was scheduled to depart from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at 6:45 PM on Monday. According to police, as the aircraft was taxiing towards the runway, a passenger named Sujit Singh from Gaura Badshahpur in Jaunpur district attempted to open the emergency exit. After being alerted by the cabin crew, the pilot notified Air Traffic Control (ATC) and returned the plane to the apron.

Passenger's Explanation and Aftermath

Security personnel evacuated all passengers from the aircraft and detained Sujit Singh for questioning. Praveen Kumar Singh, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Phulpur, stated that the passenger claimed he was merely "curious" when he attempted to open the exit door. Authorities have filed a case against Singh. Following security clearance, the flight eventually departed for Mumbai around 7:45 PM.

Expansion Plans for Akasa Air

Last month, Akasa Air, which has been operational for three years, announced plans to expand its services on both domestic and international routes, including non-stop flights from Kochi and Chennai to Abu Dhabi. After Bengaluru and Mumbai, Delhi will become the airline's third operational hub, with over 165 weekly flights planned from the national capital.

Further Developments in Airline Services

In addition to Delhi, the airline will also enhance its services from Kolkata. In a statement, Akasa Air mentioned that it will increase its presence in the Middle East with a 14% rise in flights from Abu Dhabi, launching non-stop services connecting Kochi and Chennai to Abu Dhabi, and strengthening its codeshare partnership with Etihad Airways. The number of weekly flights from Jeddah will increase to 26.