Indian Politician Ravindra Gaikwad has been barred from flying on board any Indian carrier after he admitted that he hit a steward on an Air India flight 25 times with his slipper during a row over a seat.
Indian private airlines and Air India on Friday barred the Shiv Sena MP from flying with them, India Today reported.
Air India has cancelled Gaikwad’s return ticket from Delhi to Pune at 4 pm on Friday, implementing the first-of-its-kind ban in India. Now, the MP will have to take a train back to Maharashtra.
“Air India and the member airlines of the FIA condemn the assault on an AI staff member by a passenger who happens to be an MP on March 23, 2017. The airlines demand that strict action be taken against the MP by law enforcement agencies.”
READ MORE: Indian MP admits physically abusing steward on Air India flight
The decision came just in time as Air India was in a bind with Gaikwad’s return ticket. Several employees had expressed resentment, and the airline felt that Gaikwad’s flying may lead to security or safety issues.
Upset at being seated in the economy section of an aircraft with no business seats, Gaikwad had beaten up an Air India staffer “25 times” with his sandals and tried to throw him out of the aircraft on arrival in Delhi Thursday.
“What did he say, that I hit him with my hand? I hit him 25 times with a slipper,” an unrepentant Gaikwad told ANI news agency in video footage posted on its Twitter page and aired on Indian news channels.
