On the day Air India lifted the travel ban on Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad following intervention by the Central Government, another Parliamentarian created a ruckus on board a Kolkata-bound flight. Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen delayed an AI flight for 40 minutes and allegedly shouted and screamed at the crew for not being allowed the seat of “her choice” despite being offered a business class seat by the airline.
On Friday, the AI fell in line with the Government’s wishes on the Gaikwad issue after the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) reportedly intervened to end the deadlock, even as the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) and the Air India Cabin Crew Association (AICCA) stuck to their demand for unconditional “apology” from the Sena MP.
However, AI spokesman Dhananjay Kumar said the decision to lift the air travel ban followed a written order from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Aviation sources said that with the AI revoking the ban, private airlines may soon follow suit. Gaikwad had written a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju expressing his “regrets” over the “unfortunate incident.”
Meanwhile, stealing the limelight from Gaikwad was the TMC MP who was travelling with her aged mother and had paid extra to AI to book the front row economy class seat so that her mother could get more leg room.
However, the seat booked by Sen for her mother happened to be next to an emergency exit, since the MP did not mention while booking the ticket that her mother would require a wheelchair and assistance.
Since the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Rules do not allow a wheelchaired passenger to sit near the emergency exit, the AI crew requested Sen and her mother to opt for another seat.
However, Sen lost her cool at this and shouted that she had paid more for the extra leg room seat for her mother.
Informed about the ruckus being created by the MP, the Captain of the flight came out of the cockpit and offered business class seats to the MP’s mother, but Sen declined the offer.
“As per the DGCA rules, the cabin crew informed the MP that a passenger using a wheelchair can’t take a seat next to the emergency exit. After the MP started screaming, the AI staff offered her mother a business class seat, but she refused.
It was only when passengers on board and the Captain of the flight intervened, that the fight departed 39 minutes late,” an AI spokesman said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is supposed to fly back on this plane from Kolkata to Delhi on Friday evening. The AI has reportedly sent a team to brief Mamata about the incident on the aircraft.
Meanwhile, AI is now preparing to take Gaikwad to court for delaying the flight by over 40 minutes which cost the airline over Rs six lakh. Sources in the AI confirmed that the national carrier can also proceed on the same lines against the TMC MP.
The police investigation too will continue against Gaikwad for his unruly behaviour.
A two-hour-long meeting on Thursday night between Civil Aviation Minister Raju, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha and AI Chairman Ashwani lohani did not resolve the issue until a feeler was received from the PMO on Friday morning to end the “political imbroglio” over the issue. Soon after the PMO’s intervention the Civil Aviation Ministry ordered AI to revoke Gaikwad’s flight ban with immediate effect.
Upset over the decision to allow Gaikwad to lift the travel ban against Gaikwad, the ICPA has also demanded an “unconditional apology” from the Shiva Sena MP, failing which they have threatened not to fly him.
The AICCA has also said Gaikwad must not be allowed to fly until he tendered an “unconditional apology” for beating up their colleague and asserted that he posed a risk to flight safety. In a letter to the AI Chairman, the association has said that a decision by either the Ministry of Civil Aviation or Parliament to lift the ban will affect the morale of the employees. The association said it would be a “crying shame” if he is let off “without even a rap on the knuckles”.
With this recent development, the Civil Aviation Ministry is now in the process of defining a “national no-fly list” for unruly passengers. The CAR rules are being amended by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to facilitate such a list. “In order to deal with unruly passengers in a more effective manner in future, an amendment to CAR is being drafted by the DGCA in consultation with this Ministry for establishing a national no-fly list,” said the Civial Aviation Ministry’s letter to Air India.