Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP), Ravindra Gaikwad, today, was barred from flying by four private Indian carriers.
The MP is in the news for slapping an 60-year-old, Air India Officer with his slippers.
The MP was being unable to travel business class, despite having insisted on boarding an all-economy flight.
Air India and the member airlines of the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), took the decision, to ban this MP from flying on their flights with immediate effect.
Apart from Air India, the other airlines who are part of the alliance include IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and GoAir.
The FIA, said, “It has taken a strong view of the incident, and accordingly have taken a decision to bar Gaikwad from flying, in any of its member carriers even.”
Air India said it has also written to the Shiv Sena, communicating the decision, to cancel the return ticket of the MLA, because our employees are agitated.
Gaikwad, was scheduled for departure in Delhi to Pune flight AI 849, at 4 P.M today, and accordingly, the return ticket of the MLA, has even been canceled.
An Air India source, said, Our airport employees will not attend to him and they will not let him enter.
Shiv Sena Secretary, Anil Desai, in a release said, he has asked Gaikwad, to change his travel plans, as the party did not want, any tensions to alleviate.
Gaikwad, however,refused to apologize for the assault on the officer as he does not believe ‘there is anything to repent about’. “Kaahe ka pashchataap (what is there to repent?),” he said.
Meanwhile, budget carrier IndiGo, today said it will support any move which bars unruly passengers from flying.
Air India, has been preparing a no-fly list of passengers, with a history of bad behaviour, while flying on the airline.
Indigo President and Whole Time Director, Aditya Ghosh, said, “They will support the no-fly list.”
The national carrier has filed two separate complaints, with the Delhi Police, against the MP.
The Shiv Sena has condemned the incident, and sought an explanation from him.
They even further clarified, that the Shiv Sena does not support violence.
By Supraja
