Flier who took ill seeks Rs 100 cr from SpiceJet

Mohit Maradia was nearly unconscious on board a SpiceJet flight from Goa to Ahmedabad two weeks ago, allegedly because of suffocation caused by faulty air-conditioning.

The Ahmedabad-based steel entrepreneur has now demanded a compensation of Rs 100 crore from the airline.

On Saturday, he wrote to the airline management (a copy of which is with Hindustan Times) seeking the compensation for “attempt to murder”.

“If they fail to reply within seven days with an interim payment of Rs 100 crore, I will take criminal and civil action against the airline,” said the 23-year-old, who made the journey sitting next to the aircraft toilet.

On January 11, the Ahmedabad-bound flight made an emergency landing in Mumbai because Maradia needed medical attention. He was subsequently admitted to Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle for two days because the suffocation led to excessive inhalation of carbon dioxide. He spent over Rs 17,000 for the treatment and took a week to recover.

Another passenger, a British national, also got off the plane in Mumbai.

A SpiceJet spokesperson denied receiving the letter.

“The same aircraft flew from Ahmedabad to Jaipur and then to Kolkata but there were no more complaints on air-conditioning. The same night the matter was rectified,” said the spokesperson. But a day after the incident, the airline had said that it was conducting an internal inquiry into the matter.

About 100 passengers on the flight had staged a protest on the tarmac of the Dabolim airport in Goa because one of the two air-conditioning units were not working minutes after they boarded the flight from the tourist city.

“We had asked the airline to arrange for an alternative flight but they intentionally put us in that flight,” said Maradia, a certified private pilot licence holder.

Maradia has also accused the airline crew of using derogatory language.