Hardening its stand further against Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, Air India on Tuesday cancelled two tickets booked by him on Delhi-bound flights, days after domestic carriers barred him from flying in their aircraft for assaulting an Air India staffer.
Gaikwad had booked a seat on flight AI 806, from Mumbai to Delhi for Wednesday through his staff, which was promptly cancelled by the airline. This was followed by another attempt to book a seat on AI 551 from Hyderabad to Delhi, again for Wednesday, which was also cancelled.
Both these bookings were made on open tickets which were issued to Gaikwad, who has been declared persona non grata by domestic airlines, before the ban was imposed on him.
The incident of Gaikwad hitting the staff member with his slippers led to the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) – which has Jet Airways, IndiGo, SpiceJet and GoAir as its members – banning the MP from flying.
Coming out in his defence, the Shiv Sena last week had said that it will not act against one of its own. Speaking to the media, senior party leader Sanjay Raut said:
“There has been a mistake, but we will see who is responsible for it, and against whom an FIR should be filed... Be it a common man or a minister, anyone can get angry if he is wronged.”
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