Daijiworld Media Network

Jun 17: Even though seven major domestic airlines imposed “fly ban” on Anantapur Telugu Desam MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy for his unruly behavior with Indigo staff at Visakhapatnam airport on Thursday, the MP managed to fly to Paris via Dubai in an Emirates Flight on June 16, Friday.

On Thursday, the airlines allege that Reddy reported 28 minutes prior to the departure of IndiGo flight 6E-608 scheduled to leave Visakhapatnam at 8.10 AM, to Hyderabad. However, as per the norms, the airline closed the check-in counter 45 minutes prior to departure and did not allow the MP to board the flight.

The MP then went on to create a ruckus by hurling abuses at the staff, trying to smash a printer and pushing a senior airline official, which was captured on CCTV.

It is said that he was allowed to board the same flight after Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathy Raju who was in the same Airport at the time of incident intervened in his favour. However, the Aviation Minister contradicts this claim.
But the incident captured on the CCTV was flashed in TV Channels after which IndiGo, Go Air, Air Asia – India, Vistaara, Spice Jet, Air India, Jet Airways decided to impose a “Fly Ban”.

However, the MP along with 12 of his family members flew to France for a 10 day personal trip on Friday evening. Speaking to the media from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the MP said he shall not offer an apology and said that he is being made a scapegoat in the issue.

“I am going to write to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry on the issue. I will also raise the issue in Lok Sabha. There should be a thorough investigation,” he said.

He further alleged that the Indigo had overbooked the flight and issued boarding passes to a few and denied the same to many by collecting huge sums.

He said he will go to any extent — even tendering his resignation from the Lok Sabha to prove his point. “Self-respect is more important for me than other issues,” he declared.

It is not the first time that Reddy has got into a tiff with airline staff. It is alleged that he had vandalized Air India office at Gannavaram airport in Vijaywada last year after he missed his flight.

Meanwhile, Ashok Gajapathi Raju‏ in a tweet said, “I will get the entire incident at Vizag Airport enquired into to find out the exact details and ensure that lawful outcomes follow”.

This year alone, Reddy is the second Parliamentarian after Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad to be temporarily banned by airlines. Gaikwad had triggered a major controversy after assaulting an Air India staffer.

After this incident, the Centre drafted rules for a national no-fly list for unruly passengers and proposed a ban on flying from three months up to an indefinite period. The government is yet to finalise the rules.