KERALA ACTORS DEPLANED FOR MISBEHAVING WITH CREW

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Members of the ‘Kerala Strikers,’ a cricket team floated by Malayali film artists, were forced to disembark from a Hyderabad-bound flight on Friday at Cochin airport after some members of the team allegedly misbehaved with the cabin crew.

The aircraft had entered the runway when the row between the cabin crew and team members, numbering 30, reached a flashpoint.

The captain of the flight insisted that team members should be deplaned and returned the aircraft at the taxi bay.

The aircraft later left Kochi after deplaning them.

The flight was delayed more than two hours. The team members included actors Bhavna, Mythili, Idavela Babu and Rajeev Pillai.

“After the air-hostesses finished safety demonstration some of the members applauded. The crew took it as an insult and complained to the captain who later insisted that we should be deplaned,” said actor Rajeev Pillai.

Players had later filed a complaint with the airport authorities and police saying they were off-loaded in an unfair manner.

Indigo Airlines confirmed the incident and said they would facilitate their rebooking at the next available flight.

The team is likely to leave by a midnight flight to Hyderabad.