Haj pilgrims thrash customs official

Lucknow: Mounting frustration and anger among the Haj pilgrims over 'inhumane' treatment meted out to them allegedly by Air- India management spilled over in form of outrage at Amausi airport.
On Sunday, one of the passengers from Kanpur allegedly thrashed a customs staff when he stopped them from proceeding towards the office cabin of the Air-India (manager) at the airport.
Airport authorities and local Sarojini Nagar police, however, denied reports of scuffle at the airport. But, they confirmed that unruly scenes were being reported from the airport owing to the chaos caused by a poor co-ordination between the Haj pilgrims and the airlines staff.
With allegations like unannounced hefty hike in charges for extra baggage, dumping the passengers at the airport in Jeddah for days at a stretch with no arrangements for lodging or food and frustratingly cold response of the airlines staff at the airports, the relatives of the Hajis who had come to receive the latter, lost their cool on Saturday when they found baggage of most of the passengers missing, partly or completely.
07/01/08 Times of India

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Categories: Air India - International Jan 2008, Airports Jan 2008, Foreign Jan 2008