Ranchi, July 29: If you plan to get sloshed and take a flight and think no one will notice, you’re mistaken. Alcohol is not only prohibited on aircraft, tipplers are also not entertained.

For the first time, a resident of Ranchi, who was taking a Deccan flight to New Delhi yesterday in an inebriated condition, was booked for causing damage to property (a charger). He was not allowed to board the Deccan flight yesterday by station manager Krishna Yadav, who “suspected” the body language of the passenger. When he was not allowed to check-in, he entered into an argument with airport officials and broke an Airtel charger. He tried to pay for the damages through a cheque of Rs 5,000, which the authorities refused. Then he was made to pay in cash.

Yadav said it was not the first time that such an incident had taken place. Around 8-9 months ago, a passenger, who was in an inebriated condition, puked on the check-in counter. When he was not allowed to board the flight, he began using abusive language.

A similar incident was reported about a-year-and-a-half ago. When airline officials tried to dissuade the drunk passenger from checking in, he insisted that he was fine and called upon the airport personnel and CISF staff on deputation. He was not allowed to board the flight and a case of manhandling and abuse of staff was filed against him at a local police station. “We cannot risk the aircraft nor lives of other passengers. Drunk passengers create nuisance and can become violent,” said Yadav.

Airline officials, however, maintain that such drunken episodes are few at the Birsa Munda Airport in comparison to larger cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai.

Officials recalled a similar incident when the principal of a reputed college in Ranchi was travelling in an inebriated state with arms on Indian Airlines around two years ago and was detained.

Around a month ago, JetLite reported a similar case. R. Mukherjee, the station manager of JetLite, said they, a passenger was trying to force himself. “We took him to our chamber and offered him coffee. We asked him to cool down else we would call the police. Only then did he agree,” he said.

The director of the Birsa Munda Airport authority, Ranchi, A.V. Krishna, said: “There were specific rules and regulations. Such persons are not to be allowed to fly. But it is generally the discretion of the airlines.”