TDP MP Diwakar Reddy banned from IndiGo, Air India flights

Telugu Desam Party MP JC Diwakar Reddy on Thursday allegedly created a ruckus at the airport here after an airline did not let him board a flight to Hyderabad as he arrived late.

As per aviation regulator DGCA norms, airlines close the check-in counters for all domestic fights 45 minutes prior to departure. Reddy, who represents Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur seat in the Lok Sabha, reported late for the flight and therefore, was not allowed to board it, a source said.

He was scheduled to fly IndiGo’s flight 6E-608, which departs from the Visakhapatnam airport at 8.10 am, to Hyderabad.

“On being informed by the airline staff that he was late and cannot be issued a boarding pass, an enraged Reddy went to the IndiGo office next to the check-in counter and created a ruckus,” the airline source said.

When contacted, IndiGo said it has initiated a probe into the incident, but refused to elaborate on the issue.

“We are investigating the matter and have no further comments to offer,” the Gurgaon-based airline said in a statement.

“The safety and security of our colleagues and customers is our highest priority,” it said.

Reddy was not available for comments. He had last year allegedly damaged furniture at Air India office at Gannavaram Airport in Vijayawada after missing his flight for similar reasons.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju also belongs to the TDP. Earlier this year, Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad was temporarily banned by airlines from flying after he assaulted an Air India staffer.

In May, the Centre released draft rules for a national no-fly list of unruly passengers for all domestic carriers, proposing a ban on flying from three months up to an indefinite period.

The government is likely to release the no-fly list rules by June 20.