Is arriving late for flight an MP's privilege?

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala, P V Abdul Wahab kicked off yet another controversy on Tuesday by threatening to move a privilege motion in Parliament against a pilot of state carrier, Air India, who forced him to disembark from a plane in Kozhikode. The Rajya Sabha MP claimed that he was forced to get off the Kozhikode-Kochi flight while he was en route to Dubai Monday morning after an argument with flight Captain Rajat Rana.
Supporting Capt Rajat Rana, the Indian Commercial Pilots Association, said it would protest if any action was taken against him. ICPA general secretary Captain Vikram Yadav said the MP was asked to disembark from the aircraft only after he opened the door, barged into the cockpit and abused the pilot.
The airport authorities said the IUML MP and his wife arrived well after the departure time of the flight. He boarded the plane accompanied by an airport manager. The angry pilot said that flight would not take off if the MP did not leave the plane.
The MP said he would take up the matter with the Parliament’s privileges committee.
The MP is certain to find backing from either side of the political aisle. Although he belongs to IUML, he was one of the founding directors of CPM-promoted TV channel, Kairali. He held this post while being on the director board of IUML mouthpiece Chandrika.
09/04/08 Economic Times

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Categories: Air India Domestic Apr 2008, Airports Apr 2008, NACIL Apr 2008