Bhubaneswar: An assistant professor of law at the National Law University Odisha (NLUO), was allegedly not allowed boarding by the Indigo staff and made to wait for hours at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here Thursday. Despite checking in and being even given the wheelchair tag, she was kept waiting and not allowed to board her Indigo flight (6E-6584) to Guwahati with a hop at Kolkata.
Recalling her harrowing experience, the passenger told The New Indian Express The professor she had completed web check-in and arrived at the airport at about 12.45 pm. She went through security clearance but was kept waiting for the bus to the aircraft. The departure time of her flight was 2.20 pm.
According to her, the airline officials did not inform her even after she missed her flight and could not give a satisfactory explanation for not allowing her to board. She was supposed to board the connecting flight from Kolkata to Guwahati at about 7.30 pm and reach her destination an hour later.
Upon escalating the matter, the Indigo staff offered her transit accommodation in Bhubaneswar till her next flight from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata at about 9.50 pm. The assistant professor who is visiting her hometown for Durga Puja will now be able to reach her destination on Friday morning, according to The New Indian Express.
Taking to X, the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) said IndiGo denied a wheelchair-bound passenger to board a flight because of her disability and no reason was provided to her by the airlines or airport officials.
“She was not even informed about the situation until the flight had flown. Such behaviour and discrimination against differently-abled people is not acceptable and punishable under Section 92 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act,” said NCPEDP.
Tanvi Shams, Asst. Professor, NLU- Odisha- a wheelchair user has been stuck at Bhubhaneshwar Airport since 4 hours. @IndiGo6E has denied her to board the flight (ATR Aircraft) because of her disability. No support/ reason from the airlines/ airport staff provided.
— NCPEDP (@ncpedp_india) October 19, 2023
However, IndiGo in a statement claimed a differently-abled passenger travelling from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata reported late to the check-in counter. “Our airport staff made an attempt to accommodate her request to board the flight, however, due to a miscommunication, we were unable to board her,” said the airline.
IndiGo said the passenger was provided with refreshments, a complimentary hotel, and alternative flight tickets for the same day to her destination and apologised for the inconvenience caused to her.
