India: Minister to personally investigate IndiGo case barring specially-abled child to board flight

Airline says child could not board for safety of passengers as he was in a state of panic

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By ANI

Published: Mon 9 May 2022, 11:33 AM

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday said that he will personally investigate the alleged incident of IndiGo airlines, which barred an adolescent child with special needs from boarding a plane along with his parents at the Ranchi airport on Saturday.

The Union Minister said that there is zero-tolerance for such behaviour and appropriate action will be taken after the investigation.

“There is zero tolerance towards such behaviour. No human being should have to go through this! Investigating the matter by myself, post which appropriate action will be taken,” he said in a tweet.

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A social media post on Sunday alleged the staff of IndiGo airlines barred an adolescent with special needs from boarding a plane along with his parents at the Ranchi airport on Saturday.

“The Indigo staff announced that the child would not be allowed to take the flight. That he was a risk to other passengers. That he would have to become ‘normal’ before he could be travel-worthy,’ read the post.

“And the staff then went on to state something on the lines of ‘behaviours such as this, and that of drunk passengers unfit to travel,” added the post.

Meanwhile, issuing a clarification over the incident the airline issued a statement saying, “In view of the safety of passengers, a specially-abled child could not board the flight with his family on May 07 as he was in a state of panic. The ground staff waited for him to calm down till the last minute but to no avail.”

“The airline made the family comfortable by providing them with a hotel stay, the family flew this morning to their destination. IndiGo prides itself on being an inclusive organisation, be it for employees or customers; and over 75,000 specially-abled passengers fly with IndiGo every month,” added the statement.

ANI

Published: Mon 9 May 2022, 11:33 AM

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