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Aircraft MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) is an essential element of the global aviation industry. This is where aircraft are inspected, repaired, rebuilt, and refreshed. It’s also where engines are serviced, checked, and have critical parts replaced.

According to Grand View Research, the MRO market was valued at $79 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a rate of 5% through 2030, to reach a revenue forecast of $119 billion. The biggest share of this will be in engine overhaul, with significant growth in this market expected as the global aircraft fleet continues to expand.

This week brings another incident of unruly behavior by an air passenger. An inebriated passenger onboard an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Bengaluru on Friday tried to open the flap of an emergency door. The flight crew was able to diffuse the situation, and the plane landed safely at its final destination.

Airline staff reported the matter to the agencies concerned, and authorities initiated appropriate action. Upon arrival in Bengaluru, the passenger was apprehended by local civil authorities who are investigating the incident.

What happened on the flight?

The regularly scheduled flight from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to Bengaluru was operated by an Airbus A321. The flight has a block time of just under two and a half hours. Friday’s flight (6E 308) departed 12 minutes after schedule, taking to the air at 08:12, according to flight tracking data.

The airline did not specify when the incident occurred during the flight. Still, it did not cause any significant delays as the aircraft landed over 20 minutes ahead of schedule at 10:39 in Bengaluru.

The airline confirmed that an intoxicated passenger on the flight tried to open the emergency exit. The passenger was reprimanded by the flight crew and did not appear to cause any more disruptions.

The cabin crew altered the pilot to the situation, and security personnel was on hand to apprehend the offender upon landing. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed the disruption had not affected the flight safely and that the passenger had been handed over to local authorities:

Earlier this week, Ukrainian charter carrier SkyUp Airlines managed to rescue one of its Boeing 737-800s, flying it from Kyiv across the border to Romania. This then begs the question – just how many aircraft are still stranded in Ukraine over a year after the Russian invasion?

Dozens of aircraft still stuck in Ukraine

According to a report from FlightRadar24.com, 29 planes remain stuck in Ukraine, the majority of which were operated by Ukrainian airlines. Along with nine planes operated by flag carrier Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), Windrose Airlines has ten, Motor Sich Airlines has seven, and Hungarian airline Wizz Air has three planes stranded in the country – as revealed by Aviacionline, there are also eight aircraft operated by Azur Air Ukraine stuck in Kyiv, making it 37 in total.