RTI reveals Praful Patel’s Air India ‘misuse’

New Delhi: Air India was ordered to fly a larger aircraft to apparently accommodate the family of former Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on a return trip in April 2010, file notings disclosed by the cash-trapped flag carrier have revealed.
According to media reports, since the seven business class seats were already booked on the Airbus A319 aircraft flying from Bangalore to Male on Apr 25, 2010, Air India was made to switch to a bigger A320 to accommodate seven members of Deshpande family, in-laws of Patel’s daughter Avni.
The same drill was also reportedly followed on April 28 when Patel’s family returned from the holiday destination, resulting in more than 50 seats running vacant on both days, media reports said.
The information, revealed after a Right to Information (RTI) application, also shows that instructions for the arrangement were issued over email from Mumbai Headquarters that asked to change the “equipment” of Bangalore Male flight on Apr 25 and Male Bangalore on Apr 28.
A list now disclosed after the directives of the Central Information Commission also shows that the the passengers included Congress leader R V Deshpande, Radha Deshpande, Prasad Deshpande, Meghna Deshpande and Master Dhruv, in addition to Avni and her husband Prashant Deshpande.
20/02/12 India Blooms

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Categories: Air India Feb 2012