Sena MP Gaikwad, who assaulted airline staff with slipper, banned from flying
In an official statement FIA said: Air India and FIA member airlines have decided to ban this Member of Parliament from flying on all our flights with immediate effect. We believe that exemplary action should be taken in such incidents to protect employee morale and public safety."
Air India had already cancelled Gaikwad's return ticket to Pune for Friday.
FIA also demanded stern action against the MP, saying, : "Air India and the member airlines of the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) that includes IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and Go Air, condemn the assault on an Air India staff member by a passenger who happens to be a Member of Parliament on March 23, 2017. The airlines demand that strict action be taken against the Member of Parliament by law enforcement agencies."
Even after his highhandedness created a stir across the country, the 44-year-old Sena MP was unapologetic and even dared the Delhi police to arrest him.
"I dare the Delhi police to arrest me...I will not apologize, he (Air India manager) must come to me and apologize," NDTV quoted Gaikwad as saying.
Air India has filed police cases against him
The MP said, "a 60-year-old man must know how to behave", while suggesting that his party will stand by him.
Gaikwad said Air India must be investigated for ill-treating him for which, he claimed, he had to take off his sandal and hit an elderly manager for Air India 25 times.
Gaikwad refused to disembark from the plane for nearly 45 minutes after he landed in Delhi from Pune on Thursday, demanding some high up of the airline must come to explain him why was he not provided the facility of travelling in business class which he is entitled to get.
An Air India manager - Shiv Kumar - boarded the plane to persuade the MP to exit the plane. He was then hit repeatedly.
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