New Delhi, Sep 22 : An Air India Express passenger on a flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi tried to open the cockpit door, allegedly searching for the lavatory, the airline said Monday.

The man, one among nine on board, was detained by crew members and handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force upon landing.

An Air India Express spokesperson said, "We are aware of media reports regarding an incident on one of our flights to Varanasi, where a passenger approached the cockpit entry area while looking for the lavatory."

The airline company said that "robust safety and security protocols are in place and were not compromised" and that the incident has been reported to the relevant authorities.

The matter is currently under investigation, the spokesperson said.

In a separate announcement Monday, Air India Express said it has started new daily direct flights between Bengaluru and Bangkok, effective from Thursday. From Bengaluru, the flight will take off every day at 11 am (IST), which will reach its destination at 4:45 pm (IST).

The new service aims to provide travellers with convenient, non-stop connectivity to Thailand, especially during the upcoming festive and holiday seasons.

Earlier this month, an Indore-bound Air India Express flight from Delhi suffered a mid-air engine fault, prompting the pilots to make a 'PAN-PAN' call to Air Traffic Control before landing safely with all passengers unharmed.

The internationally recognised 'PAN-PAN' signal is used in aviation to indicate an urgent but non-life-threatening situation, requiring immediate support from air traffic control or ground services.

Officials on September 5 said the flight, IX 1028, was carrying 161 passengers when the crew noticed a suspected oil filter issue during descent into Indore.

Air India and its low-cost arm, Air India Express, reported a combined pre-tax loss of Rs 9,568.4 crore during FY 25. Of this, Air India Express which had remained profitable for years, slipped into a loss of Rs 5,678.2 crore.

/IANS