‘Pee-gate’ has become a recurring issue on flights over the past few years. Authorities have accused several individuals — from ordinary travellers to high-profile professionals — of urinating on fellow passengers mid-air.
The most recent incident occurred just two days ago on an Air India flight from Delhi to Bangkok, where a passenger allegedly urinated on another flyer. This comes in the wake of a widely reported case from November 2024, in which a drunken man who is a top professional allegedly urinated on an elderly woman in the business class of an Air India flight. There have even been reports of passengers defecating mid-flight, further raising concerns over in-flight behavior and airline protocols.
The authorities found the accused drunk in the majority of the cases. How can we stop this? Is it time for the government to take action against these miscreants? Should alcohol be banned on flights? Travel Agents Association Of India (TAAI) President R. Sunil Kumar spoke to News 24 on this issue. Here are some key excerpts from the conversation.
“Unfortunate and disturbing. The government must step in and take strict action immediately — including banning such passengers from air travel for a period of time — to stop this,” said TAAI President R. Sunil Kumar in an exclusive interview with News24.
While he does not support a blanket ban on alcohol on international flights, he emphasized that, like in other countries, the government should implement measures to regulate such behavior effectively.
“The majority of travellers who consume alcohol follow the rules and respect the privacy of fellow passengers. It’s only a few who create chaos — so why punish the majority for the actions of a few?”- TAAI Chief asked.
Hike In Pee-Gate
This isn’t the first time Air India has dealt with such an episode. In November 2022, a business class passenger on a New York–Delhi flight urinated on an elderly woman, which sparked widespread backlash. Authorities initially imposed a 30-day ban on the offender, then extended it to four months. Delhi Police eventually arrested him, and his employer terminated his job.
In the wake of the 2022 “pee-gate” incident, Air India implemented stricter alcohol service policies and enhanced crew training procedures. The airline trained cabin crew to identify intoxicated or disruptive passengers. The crew were also trained to handle such situations more effectively, and implemented measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Frequent Incidents In Delhi-Thailand Flight – Reports
Various report says that, flights between India and Thailand experiences most of these kind of cases. Especially those departing from Delhi have seen more frequent incidents of misbehavior by passengers. This is often because passengers are either too excited about their vacation or upset about having to return home.
In one notable example, Air India Express (AI Express) reported record-high alcohol sales on its first-ever Surat to Bangkok flight in December, suggesting that many passengers were drinking heavily.
Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI)
Industry leaders established the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) in 1951, just four years after India’s independence.
With a commitment to quality and sustainable growth, TAAI stands as the country’s premier, nodal, largest, and oldest association in the travel and tourism sector.
TAAI represents over 2,500 leading Indian travel companies and operates through 20 active regional chapters across the country. The association plays a vital role in promoting tourism by facilitating regular member interactions, supporting roadshows, hosting presentations, and engaging in industry updates and dialogues — all aimed at driving collective progress in the travel industry.
In November 2022, a business class passenger on a New York–Delhi flight urinated on an elderly woman, sparking widespread backlash. Authorities initially gave that offender a 30-day ban and later extended it to four months. Delhi Police eventually arrested him, and his employer fired him.
