An award-winning artist with disabilities alleged on Monday, 20 June, that she was not allowed to board an Alliance Air flight from Bengaluru to Kochi because she refused to leave behind her battery-operated wheelchair.
The only options they gave me were to leave behind my wheelchair or book a flight on another airline, Sarita Dwivedi told news agency PTI on Monday.
She claimed that not only did Alliance Air not refund the amount she spent on tickets for herself and her friend but she also had to shell out Rs 14,000 for travelling on another flight. She also accused a staff member of hostile behaviour towards her.
"I had spent around Rs 8,000 on two tickets for myself and my friend...even my friend could not travel as I was not allowed to travel," Dwivedi said.
The airline is yet to issue a statement on this.
She had earlier tweeted to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia about the incident.
What Happened?
Dwivedi said that she reached the airline counter at 8 am, an hour before the flight departure time, as is mandated by the guidelines.
The official at the counter, she said, accused her of being late. After an argument over the timing, the official told her that she couldn't carry her wheelchair with her.
Dwivedi added that she had even offered to leave her wheelchair behind if they arranged for it to be taken to Kochi later. However, the airline declined the request.
When the airline officials refused to let her board the flight, despite requests from Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials, she asked Alliance Air to issue a written statement.
Although they initially agreed, they refused to do it when they learnt that she would board another flight.
"I travel a lot and wherever I go, I have never faced this problem," Dwivedi said, adding that the travel agent who booked her ticket on Alliance Air had not mentioned that she was 'differently-abled' or a 'wheelchair user' while booking the ticket.
"But I carry my own wheelchair, so where is the need to put that (while booking a ticket)?" she asked.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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