AI issues clarification after TMC MP creates ruckus over seating arrangement

The Air India on Friday issued a clarification stating that Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen did not ask for a wheel chair for her mother while booking seats for the Kolkata bound flight.

The national air carrier further said that the parliamentarian had booked two seats, adding a passenger with wheel chair cannot be seated near the emergency exit as per the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) rule.

"There was no remark of wheel chair during booking, but when all the passengers boarded the flight one passenger was in wheel chair. Cabin crew requested that a wheel chair passenger can't travel in emergency exit as per CAR rule. However, MP Dola Sen started screaming," it said.

The Air India officials said that Sen was offered a business class ticket, but the parliamentarian refused.

"Passengers- on board and captain of flight intervened and finally the flight departed after 39 minutes of the scheduled time," it said.

This incident comes in the wake of Air India putting Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad under no fly list after he thrashed a 60-year-old employee of the airline over a business class ticket.

At least eight air lines imposed a ban on Gaikwad for his act. Air India, however, lifted the ban today after he apologised for the incident.

-ANI