Payout call over dead passenger

Gulf Air has been urged to compensate relatives of an Indian man who died after being bumped off a flight, which he was taking home to get medical treatment. His family is also demanding an explanation from airline officials as to the reasons for bumping him off, which they say contributed to his death.
Kochukrishnan Mohanan, 48, suffered a heart attack at a relative's house one hour before he was scheduled to board another flight to Trivandrum.
He leaves behind a wife and two daughters, aged 20 and 17, who live in their native Kollam, Kerala.
Gulf Air should be held responsible for Mr Mohanan's death because if they had let him travel on the original date, a lot of his tension would have been avoided, brother-of-law Sivanandan Thulaseedaran said from the family home.
"There is no reason why Mr Mohanan was not allowed to travel on December 27 because he had a confirmed ticket.
"They should at least own up their mistake because it has left a family destitute after losing its sole breadwinner."
Mr Thulaseedaran said that he and Mr Mohanan's family are too poor to file and follow up a case against the carrier and are hoping his employers will do it for them.
Mr Mohanan was a machine operator with Havelock AHI since 2002, but decided to return home for further treatment for a heart condition.
His company had provided him with a one-way ticket for December 27.
Havelock business support manager M V Raju said Gulf Air should compensate Mr Mohanan's family.
Mr Raju confirmed that the management was considering providing financial help to Mr Mohanan's family.
Mr Raju said he sent an e-mail to Gulf Air asking for an explanation about the decision to bump Mr Mohanan off the flight, but was still waiting for a response.
12/01/08 Begena Pradeep/Gulf Daily News, Bahrain

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Categories: Airports Jan 2008, Foreign Jan 2008