Video shows training video for aircraft crew, not genuine scuffle on Indian flight

Published on December 3, 2024 at 02:56
3 min read
By Sachin BAGHEL, AFP India

Indian media have reported on several cases of airline passenger misbehaviour in recent months, but a clip shared with a false claim that it shows such a case was in fact a training video made by an academy for airline staff. A spokesperson for the school told AFP the clip was a simulation to train flight attendants on how to deal with real-life situations.

"Video of a scuffle between Deepak Kalal and a passenger on a flight has gone viral. Deepak, bragging about his fame, hit the passenger with a bag. Deepak Kalal is a famous social media influencer and has been part of a reality show as well," read the Hindi-language caption of an Instagram post shared on November 26, 2024.

Kalal is a YouTuber known for making quirky videos (archived link).

The clip -- which has been watched over 6.5 million times -- shows two passengers getting into an argument before it escalated into a scuffle. Later, a flight attendant steps in and breaks up the fight.

Screenshot of the false post taken on November 26, 2024

The clip surfaced as Indian media reported on several cases of unruly airline passengers in recent months (archived links here and here).

The video was also shared with the false claim on X and Facebook.

Comments from users suggest they believed the video shows a real incident.

"This man has created a disturbance in the name of making reels. He must be arrested," a user commented.

"Ever since Indigo ventured into airlines, they have turned flights into buses," another wrote, referring to the low-cost Indian airline.

But the video does not show a scuffle onboard a flight -- it is in fact a simulation video filmed by a training institute.

Training video

A reverse image search on Google found a longer version of the video posted on the Instagram account of Fly High Institute -- a school offering courses in aviation, travel and tourism -- on November 24, 2024 (archived link).

The caption with the video says it shows crew members successfully diffusing a heated argument between two passengers "with calm communication and a focus on safety".

Below is a screenshot comparison of the clip shared in the false posts (left) and on the school's Instagram account (right):

Screenshot comparison of the clip shared in false posts (left) and video posted on the institute's Instagram handle (right)

Cinderella Michael, a spokesperson for Fly High Institute, told AFP the video "does not show a real incident".

"The video is a simulation created for training purposes to educate flight attendants. For this, the institute collaborated with social media influencer Deepak Kalal," he said on November 26.

Kalal also shared the video on his Instagram account, where many users noted the clip was "scripted" (archived link).

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