The Minister of Civil Aviation has already offered an unconditional apology for Air India's abominable conduct in preferring VIP passengers over paid ones on two flights last month. And Air India is said to be preparing a detailed report on two separate incidents involving VIPs, which lead to these two flights getting inordinately delayed. Some hapless passengers also got offloaded to accommodate VIPs. The entire episode obviously inconvenienced several hundred other passengers on board these flights too.
According to our sources, this is what allegedly occurred:
1) A Delhi bound Air India flight from Leh was pre-poned (slated to take off earlier than its scheduled departure time) on June 24 due to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) by the Air Force at Leh. The NOTAM wanted the flight departure by 10.30 am on that day when its normal scheduled departure is 11.15 am. The sources we spoke to said this was known a day in advance and that this information was duly conveyed to all booked passengers except the three who were eventually denied boarding. These sources said the phones of these three passengers were unreachable or switched off and they could not be contacted.
2) As a result, these three passengers reached the airline's check-in counter at Leh late (as per the 11.15 am departure time). But by then, they had already been flagged as "no show" by the airline staff as per standard procedure. And "de-checked".
3) Then, around 9.45 am the same day, staff of Deputy Home Minister Kiren Rijiju allegedly asked for bookings for the minister and J&K Deputy Chief Minister. "Technically, the booking does not close before the flight so Rijiju and Deputy CM were issued tickets at 9.45 am, after making sure that the three passengers (mentioned earlier) had done a 'no show'. This was as per standard procedure," said the source.
4) By this time, the three passengers had been waiting at the check-in counter, allegedly arguing that they were never informed about the pre-ponement of the flight and had reported for check-in on time.
5) Now the bizarre takes over. The source said, the minister's staff allegedly called again and asked to cancel the tickets (booked just minutes ago). He would not be flying. Then, airline staff checked in the three passengers waiting at the counter. But a few minutes after they were finally checked in, the minister's staff again called and allegedly said Rijiju and the Deputy CM will take the flight, after all.
6) This flip-flop by Rijiju, coupled with miscommunication with the paid passengers about flight timing, lead to yet another "de-checkin" drama where paid passengers were made to wait while the two ministers took off.
09/07/15 Sindhu Bhattacharya/First Post
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According to our sources, this is what allegedly occurred:
1) A Delhi bound Air India flight from Leh was pre-poned (slated to take off earlier than its scheduled departure time) on June 24 due to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) by the Air Force at Leh. The NOTAM wanted the flight departure by 10.30 am on that day when its normal scheduled departure is 11.15 am. The sources we spoke to said this was known a day in advance and that this information was duly conveyed to all booked passengers except the three who were eventually denied boarding. These sources said the phones of these three passengers were unreachable or switched off and they could not be contacted.
2) As a result, these three passengers reached the airline's check-in counter at Leh late (as per the 11.15 am departure time). But by then, they had already been flagged as "no show" by the airline staff as per standard procedure. And "de-checked".
3) Then, around 9.45 am the same day, staff of Deputy Home Minister Kiren Rijiju allegedly asked for bookings for the minister and J&K Deputy Chief Minister. "Technically, the booking does not close before the flight so Rijiju and Deputy CM were issued tickets at 9.45 am, after making sure that the three passengers (mentioned earlier) had done a 'no show'. This was as per standard procedure," said the source.
4) By this time, the three passengers had been waiting at the check-in counter, allegedly arguing that they were never informed about the pre-ponement of the flight and had reported for check-in on time.
5) Now the bizarre takes over. The source said, the minister's staff allegedly called again and asked to cancel the tickets (booked just minutes ago). He would not be flying. Then, airline staff checked in the three passengers waiting at the counter. But a few minutes after they were finally checked in, the minister's staff again called and allegedly said Rijiju and the Deputy CM will take the flight, after all.
6) This flip-flop by Rijiju, coupled with miscommunication with the paid passengers about flight timing, lead to yet another "de-checkin" drama where paid passengers were made to wait while the two ministers took off.
09/07/15 Sindhu Bhattacharya/First Post
