Srinagar airport brawl: Army official put on SpiceJet no fly list for 5 years

NEW DELHI: A senior Army official who "grievously assaulted" four SpiceJet employees at Srinagar airport on July 26, 2025, has been put on the no fly list of the airline for five years.

He will not be allowed on any SpiceJet flight, whether domestic or international, for five years, said officials.The decision was taken by a panel set up as per rules to determine gravity of the Army official's act. In the last five years, India has put 379 passengers on the no-fly list on the last five years.India's no fly list rules categorise unruly passengers into three categories each with its own duration for being put on the no fly list -- upto three and six months for level 1 & 2 misconduct, respectively.

Level 3 means not bein able to fly for at least two years.The Army official's alleged unruly conduct has been deemed fit to be the most serious category.About the brawl at Srinagar airport, SpiceJet had said the four employees had asked the official to pay for excess cabin baggage he was carrying on a flight (SG 386) to Delhi. The airline says its staff members “suffered a spinal fracture and serious jaw injuries after being attacked with punches, repeated kicks and a queue stand.”

The passenger “was carrying two pieces of cabin baggage weighing a total of 16 kg, more than double the permitted limit of 7 kg. When politely informed of the excess baggage and asked to pay the applicable charges, the passenger 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 passenger grew increasingly aggressive and physically assaulted four members of the SpiceJet ground staff,” a SpiceJet spokesperson had said earlier."One SpiceJet employee collapsed unconscious on the floor but the passenger continued kicking and hitting the fainted employee. Another staff member suffered bleeding from the nose and mouth after receiving a forceful kick to the jaw while bending down to assist the colleague who had fainted. The injured employees were rushed to hospital and remain under treatment for the grievous injuries sustained,” he had added.