A source told HT that the passenger who tried to open the cockpit door was a ‘first-time flier'.

Passenger Aboard  Air India Express Flight Tries Opening Cockpit Door Mid Air, Latest News: A passenger aboard Air India Express Flight IX-1086 from Bengaluru to Varanasi allegedly attempted to open the cockpit door of the aircraft mid-air, causing a hijack scare, the Hindustan Times reported on Monday, citing multiple sources.

Air India Express issued a statement following the incident, stating that the individual approached the cockpit entry area while looking for the lavatory.

"The matter was reported to the relevant authorities on landing and is currently under investigation,” an Air India spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report.

“We reaffirm that robust safety and security protocols are in place and were not compromised,” said a spokesperson for Air India Express, according to the report.

A source told HT that the passenger who tried to open the cockpit door was a ‘first-time flier’.

“When asked why he did so, he said he wanted to use the lavatory and thought it was the same door. He, however, went back quietly after the crew informed him that he had attempted to open the cockpit door. As per protocol, he was handed over to the CISF, which then handed him over to the local police,” the source was quoted as saying.

However, according to the Economic Times, cited in the report, the passenger had even ‘entered the correct passcode’ to the cockpit door, and a pilot blocked his entry “fearing a hijack.” The HT report added that it could not independently verify the information provided in the ET report.

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