E-Paper
IAS officer’s family forced off British Airways flight because their three-year-old son was crying
British Airways said it has initiated a “full investigation” into the incident.
An Indian family travelling on a British Airways flight from London to Berlin has alleged they were forced to get off the plane because their three-year-old child was crying.
Reports said the alleged incident happened on July 23 when a 1984 batch officer of the Indian Engineering Services was on board with his family.
“Our son started crying and a flight attendant came and threatened to offload us if our kid doesn’t keep quiet and after a while, he called security and we were offloaded,” AP Pathak, the officer, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Pathak said he has complained to civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu alleging “racial discrimination” by the airline.
“I have given a letter to aviation minister Suresh Prabhu and EAM Sushma Swaraj and complained to British Airways but they have not replied yet. It was an act of racial discrimination. I request an apology and compensation for the harassment of an Indian,” Pathak told ANI.
The airline on its part said that it takes such incidents “extremely seriously” and has initiated a “full investigation” into the matter.
“We take such claims like this extremely seriously and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We have started a full investigation and are in direct contact with the customer,” a British Airways spokesperson said.
