A TDP MP on Thursday broke a printer and pushed an airline staffer after he was denied boarding by IndiGo for being late, prompting a flying ban by the budget carrier.
State-run Air India and SpiceJet, too, imposed a similar ban on him.
Sources said, Anantapur MP J C Diwakar Reddy was scheduled to board IndiGo’s flight 6E-608, which departs from Visakhapatnam at 8.10 am to Hyderabad. But he reached just 28 minutes before the scheduled departure. As per norms laid out by the aviation regulator, airlines close check-in counters for all domestic fights 45 minutes prior to departure. Reddy, however, demanded that he be issued a boarding pass, but the airline staff turned down his demand.
The irate MP then reportedly grabbed a printer kept at the counter and smashed it on the floor. Airport officials said they needed to investigate the incident before confirming it.
The airport police said the IndiGo staff, however, did not register a complaint against the MP. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju — also a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP — who was at the same airport, reportedly refused to help Reddy board the plane.
Television channels also showed CCTV visuals of Reddy pushing an IndiGo employee.
“The staff politely informed him that boarding for flight 6E-608 is closed and offered to accommodate Mr Reddy in the subsequent flight. Mr Reddy expressed his annoyance and soon raged against the staff expressing aggressive and abusive behaviour,” IndiGo said in a statement.
IndiGo further stated, “Any untoward conduct which compromises the safety and security of our passengers and staff is a serious concern for us. Safety and security of passengers, crew and the aircraft is the top priority and it cannot be compromised.”
Published 15 June 2017, 16:34 IST