A passenger on a SpiceJet flight was offloaded and handed over to the police after being caught smoking on an airport ramp and misbehaving with airline staff, the carrier said on Monday.
The passenger, identified as Utkarsh Gautam, was travelling from Mumbai to Jaipur on March 2 when the incident occurred. A video of the incident has since gone viral, triggering widespread outrage online.
According to the airline, he violated safety regulations by smoking in a restricted area and behaved aggressively when confronted by ground staff and CISF personnel.
In the viral video, Gautam could be seen smoking on the tarmac while a staff member asks him to stop, citing safety concerns. He is also seen arguing with airline personnel, blowing smoke towards them through a counter opening, and repeatedly demanding proof of a no-smoking rule.
The footage further shows Gautam speaking disrespectfully and boasting about his income. Despite efforts by others to calm him, he continued confronting staff.
“This is your salary, I will put it in the gutter. I earn one million. Stay within your limits,” he is heard saying in the video purportedly.
A SpiceJet spokesperson confirmed that the passenger was immediately offloaded for violating safety norms and misbehaviour, and was handed over to the police.
“The said incident occurred on March 2, 2026, when a passenger travelling from Mumbai to Jaipur was found smoking on the ramp, in clear violation of safety regulations. The passenger also misbehaved with our ground staff and CISF personnel. He was immediately offloaded and handed over to the police for further action,” the spokesperson said as per reports.
Passenger Faced Trouble Last Week
This incident comes shortly after another controversy involving Gautam. On March 22, he allegedly attempted to open an emergency exit mid-air on an IndiGo flight, prompting intervention from the cabin crew. He also reportedly abused and threatened airline staff during the journey.
After the flight landed at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, security personnel were alerted and a complaint was filed, following which, Gautam was taken in for questioning.
The situation escalated further when he allegedly posted abusive videos on social media targeting the police, claiming wrongful detention and accusing airline staff of misconduct. However, Bengaluru Police denied these allegations, stating that no arrest or assault had taken place.
“I have been detained at theKempegowda International Airport police station for unruly behavior by IndiGo staff. They were the ones who hijacked the plane. They didn’t give water, provided washroom usage, medicines and passengers were standing for one hour. They still filed a fake complaint and police detained me. Please help,” a now-deleted X post of Utkarsh said.
The back-to-back incidents have raised fresh concerns over passenger behaviour, aviation safety, and enforcement of rules at airports.