Congress books flight ticket for PM Modi to visit Manipur; airline claims booking cancelled through 'self-service'

Khera shared details of the flight in a post on X and claimed that Air India Express 'quietly cancelled' the ticket without his knowledge.

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Saturday said that he booked a flight ticket for PM Modi to visit Manipur, which he claimed Air India Express "quietly cancelled". However, the airline clarified that the ticket was cancelled by the same source that booked it.

Khera shared details of the flight in a post on X and claimed that Air India Express the ticket without his knowledge. Khera's post was intended to attack Modi over the issue of him visiting conflict-ridden Manipur.

The airline responded to the charge saying that the booking was cancelled "voluntarily via the self-service option."

"Even @AirIndiaX knew that the PM would not travel to Manipur. So, the ticket that I had booked - as a well-intentioned gift for the people of Manipur - was quietly cancelled, without my knowledge," Khera wrote on X sharing a screenshot of the booking cancellation message from the airline.

"It seems to be common wisdom now that the only thing that can compel the PM to visit a northeastern state is an upcoming election," he added.

“PM CARES? Sorry folks, evidently not (sic)," the post read.

To this, Air India Express replied that IX 1037 operated on time as per schedule, and the ticket was not cancelled by the airline.

"The booking was cancelled voluntarily via the self-service option on our website. To ensure privacy and avoid misuse, please avoid sharing personal details such as PNR, guest names and contact details publicly. Kindly DM your contact details if you need further assistance," it said.

PM Modi in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated several projects in Assam, including a bridge on the Brahmaputra River, an IIM and a data centre for the northeastern region.

The projects, which were rolled out months ahead of Assam assembly elections, aim to boost connectivity, strengthen digital infrastructure, promote higher education and enhance public transport.

Modi reached the state on a day-long visit to inaugurate an emergency landing facility (ELF) at Moran in Dibrugarh district and launch projects worth over Rs 5,500 crore.

(With PTI inputs)