Overview

• Flight IX-1086 landed safely in Varanasi after the pilot blocked the cockpit door and cabin crew restrained a passenger during the flight.
• The detained man and his eight travel companions were handed to CISF on arrival and are being questioned by local police, officials said.
• Air India Express said safety protocols were not compromised and confirmed a formal probe is underway.
• Reports differ on whether the passenger keyed in the correct cockpit code, a point investigators are working to verify.
• The airline says the passenger claimed he was a first-time flyer looking for the lavatory, and sources indicate disciplinary action, including a possible no-fly listing under level-three unruly rules, is being considered.