Suresh Prabhu orders probe after ‘racist behaviour’ by British Airways crew

Bureaucrat claimed family was offloaded at London airport

August 09, 2018 10:20 pm | Updated 10:21 pm IST - NEW DELHI

Suresh Prabhu. File

Suresh Prabhu. File

Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu had asked the aviation regulator, DGCA to inquire into a complaint by a bureaucrat against British Airways for “unprofessional, rude and racist behaviour” after he and his family were offloaded from a flight from London to Berlin last month because their baby was crying.

“I have directed the DGCA to obtain detailed report from British Airways on the issue,” Mr Prabhu tweeted.

Meanwhile, the airline in a statement said that it was investigating the manner, hinting that the passengers might have been flouting safety procedures.

Internal probe

“It is a safety requirement for all airlines that passengers are seated and have their seatbelt fastened for take-off. We are investigating the complaint,” according to a statement from British Airways.

On August 3, Mr A.P. Pathak, wrote a letter to Minister of Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu seeking stringent action against the airline for “racist” conduct.

The complainant, a joint-secretary with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, recounted the incident of July 23 and wrote that his son, seated separately, was crying during take-off from London.

Mr Pathak wrote that the crew member called security to deboard him and his family along with another family which offered biscuits to his son.

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