Chennai: Two passengers travelling in an Indigo Airlines flight from Bengaluru to Chennai were detained for refusing to wear facemasks on board the flight and for picking up an argument with the cabin crew, today.
Wearing of facemasks inside the flight and at the airports were made mandatory in view of the second wave of the Covid pandemic which had prompted several States to impose total lockdown to control the spread of the virus.
Sources said the flight with 28 passengers, which left Bengaluru late last night, were in midair when the two passengers from Chennai, Mohd Arsad (22) and Tariq Rahman (29), removed their facemasks and refused to wear them despite several pleas made by the cabin crew and other passengers.
The duo also picked up an argument with the crew members following which the flight captain informed the Airport control room here.
Soon after the flight landed at the domestic airport here, security officials entered the aircraft, picked them up and took them to the airlines office for questioning.
The passengers also argued that by not wearing the face masks they have done nothing wrong.
As the passengers did not relent, the airlines officials handed them over to the airport police who detained them for further interrogation.
During questioning, the duo said they were into poultry business and were returning to the city after a business visit to the Garden City.