SENA MP STIRS UP AN AI STORM

Airlines ban Ravindra Gaikwad, put netas on notice

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who is at the centre of a raging storm for assaulting an elderly Air India employee, was on Friday barred from flying all major domestic airlines in an unprecedented step in Indian aviation history.

The MP from Maharashtra’s Osmanabad, however, continued to brazen it out and remained unapologetic about his conduct.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against him on the basis of the complaint lodged by Air India for repeatedly hitting with sandals 62year-old duty manager R. Sukumar on a PuneDelhi flight after it landed in the national capital on Thursday over not being able to fly business class despite having boarded an all-economy flight.

The national carrier had also lodged another complaint against him for holding up the aircraft.

Taking retributive action, the national carrier cancelled Gaikwad’s return ticket to Pune after he boastfully asserted he would board the afternoon flight. Private airline IndiGo followed suit as, in an unprecedented show of unity, several air operators imposed a “ban” on him. The Federation of Indian Airlines, which has Jet Airways, SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir as its members, issued a statement declaring it has decided to “ban” the MP from flying on its aircraft.

The non-FIA member airlines — AirAsia India and Vistara — also came out in support of the ban, which left Gaikwad “grounded” in the national capital.

Gaikwad said he has also filed a police complaint about alleged misbehavior by Air India officials apart from writing to the civil aviation ministry on the issue.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Shiv Sena said it does not support Gaikwad’s behaviour but party leaders would “raise their hand” wherever needed.

“The Shiv Sena can never support Ravindra Gaikwad’s behaviour. But there should be an inquiry to find out why our MP was forced to behave this way,” Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said.

“Hitting anybody can never be the culture of the Sena, but we will surely raise our hand wherever required,” Raut said.

It is not about a single MP but thousands of passengers who have to face numerous troubles due to Air India's poor service, he said.