Couple's argument leads to diversion of Lufthansa flight to Delhi airport

The Lufthansa flight no LH772 landed at 10:26 am at the Indira Gandhi International airport after the pilots contacted the ATC informing them about a 'situation and possible unruly passenger'.

New Delhi: An argument between a couple led to the diversion of a Munich-Bangkok Lufthansa flight to Delhi on Wednesday following which they were deboarded, official sources said.

The Lufthansa flight no LH772 landed at 10:26 am at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport after the pilots contacted the ATC informing them about a 'situation and possible unruly passenger'.

An argument between a couple -- a German man and his Thai wife -- led to some problems on board the Lufthansa flight following which it sought permission to land at IGI and this was allowed, the sources said.

An official said the wife had first complained about her husband's behaviour to the pilot, saying she was being 'threatened' by him and sought intervention.

The 53-year German passenger allegedly 'threw food, tried to burn a blanket using a lighter, shouted at his wife and did not follow the instructions issued by the crew' and hence the pilot diverted the flight and he was later offloaded by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, as per the sources.

The wife was travelling on a different PNR ticket and she desired to continue her journey to Bangkok, they said.

The airline, as per the sources, is also coordinating with the local German embassy here. A decision to either hand over the alleged unruly passenger to Delhi Police or consider his apology and send him back to Germany on another flight is pending, sources said.

The situation is developing and the CISF security personnel, flight crew and other staff are in the terminal area. The flight may take off in some time for its scheduled destination, they added.