While the government is working on a way to check “undesirable flight behaviour”, the video has surfaced where Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad is being seen abusing and hitting an Air India employee Shivkumar.
The MP thrashed the 60-year-old Air India duty manager with his slippers at least 20 times and tore his shirt at IGI airport on Thursday prompting the airline to file a police complaint. The duo got engaged in a brawl after Gaikwad complained that he had to travel economy – on an all-economy flight – even though he had a business class ticket.
Accepting that he assaulted the Air India employee, the MP remained unapologetic and in fact sought an apology from the airline’s chairman and managing director.
Air India has lodged a complaint with the police against the Shiv Sena MP for “assaulting” its duty manager at Delhi airport. The airline has also filed another complaint with the police against Gaikwad for allegedly delaying its flight by over 40 minutes by not vacating the aircraft for cleaning.
Civil Aviation Minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who is a TDP MP from Andhra Pradesh, condemned the incident saying that such physical assaults will not be “encouraged”. “Physical assault won’t be encouraged and will always be condemned. (This) Should never have happened…attacking an airline staffer doesn’t make sense,” Raju said.
Gaikwad had an open ticket in business class with Air India which allows a passenger to take a flight on any date.
He insisted on taking the 7:35 am AI 852 from Pune to Delhi, which is an all-economy flight. After the flight landed in Delhi, he refused to disembark, sparking an argument between Air India staff and the politician.
For interesting news videos from InUth, follow us on Youtube.com/InUthdotcom
