Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot was booked to fly from Bengaluru to Hyderabad on Thursday afternoon. But the AirAsia India flight departed without the Governor boarding the plane.
A police complaint has been filed against the airline.
The Governor was to visit Raichur by road from Hyderabad to attend a convocation. His luggage was loaded on AirAsia flight (I-5972). However, there was a delay in Gehlot reaching Terminal 2 from where the flight was to depart.
By the time he reached the gate from VIP lounge to board the aircraft, the flight had taken off for Hyderabad, sources said.
The Governor had to take another flight, after an hour and a half, to reach Hyderabad.
“The flight was scheduled to depart at 2.05 pm from Bengaluru to Hyderabad. The Governor arrived at 2.01 pm, just 4 minutes prior to departure. However, security checks and other protocols needed to be completed 15 minutes before departure, making it difficult for the Governor to board the flight with only 4 minutes remaining,” an AirAsia official was quoted as saying.
However, Raj Bhavan Protocol Officer Venugopal told India Today that the Governor arrived at the airport around 1.35 pm.
“As per the protocol, he was supposed to be the last passenger to board due to his Z+ category status. The flight crew was informed about the Governor’s travel plans. I went near the aircraft and handed over the luggage to the ground handler. It takes time to reach the aircraft from terminal 1,” the Protocol officer said.
“When the Governor arrived at the aircraft, it was 2.06, just a minute after the scheduled departure time of 2.05. Despite the door still being open, they refused to allow the Governor to board, even after multiple requests,” he said.
“The Governor was made to wait for more than 10 minutes, and the flight eventually took off at 2.27 pm. A police complaint has been registered against the airline at Devanahalli Police station,” informed Venugopal.
AirAsia issued a statement regretting the incident.
“We sincerely regret the incident. An investigation is being conducted, and appropriate action will be taken. The senior leadership team of the airline is in contact with the Governor’s office to address the concerns. Our commitment to the highest standards of professionalism and adherence to protocol remains unwavering, and we deeply value our relationship with the Governor’s office,” the airline stated.
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