Passengers on a IndiGo flight from Lucknow to Bengaluru, were horrified when a doctor was forcibly removed after he complained of mosquitoes onboard.
Saurabh Rai, a cardiologist, said that he would take “legal recourse” soon against the airline as well as lodge a complaint with the India’s civil aviation ministry, aviation regulator DGCA and Prime Minister’s Office.
This is at least the second incident in six months of an untoward incident involving IndiGo staff. Last November, a video had surfaced of the airline staff allegedly manhandling a passenger on the tarmac in the national capital.
Recalling the incident, which happened on Monday, Rai said that as the cabin was full of mosquitoes, he repeatedly asked the airline staff if something can be done to remove them but the requests were not entertained.
“After that they deboarded me. then they told me that I can fly only if I tender an apology,” he said over telephone, adding that in the process the flight was also delayed.
According to him, the plane took off without him as he refused to tender an apology as demanded by the airline.
Rai said he was forced to buy a new ticket and also to delete all photographs from his phone that were taken inside the aircraft.
“They manhandled me as well. It is a question of my dignity. I am going to write to the civil aviation minister, Prime Minister’s Office and DGCA. I will also take legal recourse soon,” he said.
Rai claimed that IndiGo staff also said that mosquitoes are all over India, let alone Lucknow, “so will you leave the country?”.
In response to IndiGo’s claim of unruly behaviour, Rai said if that was the case then why was he allowed to travel in another IndiGo flight and that no police complaint was lodged.
However, IndiGo did not issue a statement to repeated queries seeking comments about the incident.
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