Now, Trinamool Congress MP loses cool, delays flight by 40 minutes
The MP had booked three front row seats for herself, her mother and one more person online.
New Delhi: Close on the heels of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad hitting an Air India staffer, a Trinamool Congress lawmaker allegedly fought with the crew on Friday over not getting seats of her choice in an AI flight from here to Kolkata resulting in it being delayed by nearly 40 minutes.
Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen had booked three tickets for the Air India flight, an airline official said. The MP had booked three front row seats for herself, her mother and one more person online.
The DGCA rules allow airlines to charge additional fee for a seat of a passenger’s choice, which include front row seats with extra leg room as well as aisle and window seats.
“But due to non-availability of the seats of her choice she was booked on emergency exit seats, which also have similar legroom,” said the official.
When Sen boarded the plane with her wheelchair-bound mother, she was told by the cabin crew that rules do not permit wheelchair-bound passengers to sit on emergency exit seats, said AI. The airline said the MP didn’t mention that she was being accompanied by a wheelchair-bound passenger at the time of booking tickets.
Following this, the TMC MP “shouted and screamed” at the cabin crew, the airline claimed. The pilot offered business class seats to the MP’s mother but Sen declined.