India, Sept. 22 -- A passenger aboard an Air India Express flight from Bengaluru to Varanasi allegedly opened the cockpit door mid-air, using the security passcode, leading to a major scare on Monday, HT has learnt.

While the airlines said he mistook the cockpit entry for the toilet door, security officials citing information sent by the pilot to the the Air Traffic Control told HT that the passenger, identified only as "Mr Mani", had "pressed the security code of the cockpit door".

This alerted the crew on board, after which the passenger said he was not aware of the system as he'd taken a flight for the first time.

Mani and eight of his fellow passengers have been taken into custody for interrogation and handed over to UP Police at V...