Three passengers have been arrested by airport police over an alleged disturbance on a flight from Sydney to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake — and both the airline and the airport operator have denied that the incident took place.
Two of those arrested are Indian nationals and the third is a British national of Indian origin, Daily Mirror reported. The three were reportedly under the influence of alcohol and caused a disturbance during the flight last week.
What police say happened
According to police investigations, the passengers got into an argument with cabin crew over the serving of food during the journey. During the altercation they allegedly pushed the food trolley.
Investigators found that no significant damage had been caused to the aircraft’s entrance, the report said.
The three had arrived at Katunayake from Sydney and were reportedly scheduled to travel onwards to New Delhi. They were arrested by airport police and produced before court, where they were granted bail. The next hearing is set for Thursday.
The denial
The most unusual element of the filing is its final line: SriLankan Airlines and the Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) denied reports of the incident, even as police confirmed arrests, a court appearance and bail.
The report does not reconcile the two positions, state what specifically the airline and AASL are denying — the incident itself, particular details of it, or its characterisation — or say whether the flight was operated by SriLankan Airlines.
A note on the headline
The Daily Mirror headline describes the three as “Indian passengers”. The body of the same report is more precise: two Indian nationals and one British national of Indian origin. The body’s description is used here.
Claims circulating on unverified aggregator sites that a passenger attempted to open an aircraft door, or that the trolley caused significant damage, are not supported by the verified reporting — the Daily Mirror filing states the opposite on the question of damage. Those claims are not carried here.
Not reported
The filing does not name the flight number, give the exact date of the flight, name the court before which the suspects were produced, state the charges, or say whether the passengers were able to continue to New Delhi.