Passengers Strapped to Their Seats, SpiceJet Plays National Anthem

New Delhi: Passengers onboard a Tirupati-Hyderabad SpiceJet flight were faced with an unusual dilemma last week.

"The passengers and cabin crew were not in a position to stand up and accord it due respect. We were surprised when the national anthem was played and the passengers were forced to abide by the pilot's directions to keep the seat belt on," complainant Puneet Tiwari told Times of India. He also alleged that the anthem was switched off mid-way.

A spokesperson for the low-cost airline said the national anthem was “inadvertently” played on the public announcement system. “We have pre-recorded national anthem on our aircraft playlist to be used appropriately,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said.