Airlines have taken things a bit too far this time. In the manner of khap panchayats or rogue trade unions they have ganged up to bar a Member of Parliament from flying. It is sad that no airline has abstained from this cartel-like behaviour.
The traveller, as reported, had created a scene at the airport. Same reports also say that he flung a printer down, but there are no reports of any attack on an airline staffer. Misbehaviour, if any, at the Airport should be dealt under airport rules or under laws on vandalism, assault etc., but not by airlines rules.
The traveller had not even been issued a boarding pass. Merely buying a ticket doesn't make him a flyer. For being a flyer, he should be inside the aircraft. If misbehaviour at the check-in counter puts one on the no-flyer list, we can extend this argument to absurd limits - an argument with an airline porter over wages, an argument or misbehaviour over excess baggage, a scuffle in the car parking lot with an airline staff or a fight with him in the vegetable market.
The airlines have got emboldened by the way the earlier case was handled. But, that was an act of misbehaviour and assault INSIDE the aircraft, hence airlines rules applied. If every service provider starts putting customers on no-service lists, I don't know what the laws of the land would be used for.
I do not agree with the airlines this time.
The traveller, as reported, had created a scene at the airport. Same reports also say that he flung a printer down, but there are no reports of any attack on an airline staffer. Misbehaviour, if any, at the Airport should be dealt under airport rules or under laws on vandalism, assault etc., but not by airlines rules.
The traveller had not even been issued a boarding pass. Merely buying a ticket doesn't make him a flyer. For being a flyer, he should be inside the aircraft. If misbehaviour at the check-in counter puts one on the no-flyer list, we can extend this argument to absurd limits - an argument with an airline porter over wages, an argument or misbehaviour over excess baggage, a scuffle in the car parking lot with an airline staff or a fight with him in the vegetable market.
The airlines have got emboldened by the way the earlier case was handled. But, that was an act of misbehaviour and assault INSIDE the aircraft, hence airlines rules applied. If every service provider starts putting customers on no-service lists, I don't know what the laws of the land would be used for.
I do not agree with the airlines this time.
