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Kerala woman slams KLM airline for racial slur
12, Sep 2015
Shinamma Eappen, who hails from Kerala, claimed she had to sleep on the floor at the Indira Gandhi International Airport because the KLM staffers did not allow her to board the flight and did not even given any proper reason.
High drama unfolded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the wee hours of Thursday when a woman allegedly faced "racial abuses" and harassment at the hands of KLM Airline staff. She also alleged that she was not allowed to board the flight on "flimsy" grounds.
Shinamma Eappen, who hails from Kerala, claimed she had to sleep on the floor at the airport. According to a complaint her friend filed with the airline on her behalf, the KLM staffers did not allow her to board the flight and did not even given any proper reason. Her family has also alleged that the airline didn't help her though she had all the required documents.
KLM initially said, "We are taking the matter very seriously and are investigating it." In a subsequent e-mail to MAIL TODAY, the airline said that initially the passenger was not clear about her travel purposes. After an extra round of security check, she was allowed to board another flight.
According to Eldo Paul, the victim's friend, who filed the complaint, she had almost all 11 documents required to travel. "She reported at the KLM customer service counter at Indira Gandhi International Airport terminal 3 (Delhi) before 12 pm on September 9 to board her flight to Amsterdam but the airline officers harassed her and threatened her. I overheard their conversations and wanted to respond to the abusive KLM staff but I was over the phone."
According to a CISF official, who was on night duty, a woman was crying near the KLM counter. "During a normal security patrolling, we saw a verbal altercation between KLM officials and a woman. We also saw that KLM staff rudely behaved with the woman. Later, we were told that she had been denied boarding but the victim was crying very loudly. She was at the airport from 12 am till next day," a CISF official told MAIL TODAY on the condition of anonymity.
However, Joost Ruempol, senior press officer, KLM , said, "If there is any reason to doubt a passenger's documents or travel purposes, every airline is obliged to do another round of checking. Eventually, the airline may deny boarding to the passenger. In this particular case, the passenger was not clear about her travel purposes. After another round of security check, it was decided to let her board the next flight."
According to a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, "We have been noticing that a few private airlines are misusing the privilege of denying boarding if they found anything suspicious about any passengers. Airlines should also involve Indian agencies and inform passengers about the reason of denying boarding. Soon, we will take some steps in regard," a senior official of ministry of civil aviation told MAIL TODAY.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kerala-woman-slams-klm-airline-for-racial-slur/1/471837.html
12, Sep 2015
Shinamma Eappen, who hails from Kerala, claimed she had to sleep on the floor at the Indira Gandhi International Airport because the KLM staffers did not allow her to board the flight and did not even given any proper reason.
High drama unfolded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the wee hours of Thursday when a woman allegedly faced "racial abuses" and harassment at the hands of KLM Airline staff. She also alleged that she was not allowed to board the flight on "flimsy" grounds.
Shinamma Eappen, who hails from Kerala, claimed she had to sleep on the floor at the airport. According to a complaint her friend filed with the airline on her behalf, the KLM staffers did not allow her to board the flight and did not even given any proper reason. Her family has also alleged that the airline didn't help her though she had all the required documents.
KLM initially said, "We are taking the matter very seriously and are investigating it." In a subsequent e-mail to MAIL TODAY, the airline said that initially the passenger was not clear about her travel purposes. After an extra round of security check, she was allowed to board another flight.
According to Eldo Paul, the victim's friend, who filed the complaint, she had almost all 11 documents required to travel. "She reported at the KLM customer service counter at Indira Gandhi International Airport terminal 3 (Delhi) before 12 pm on September 9 to board her flight to Amsterdam but the airline officers harassed her and threatened her. I overheard their conversations and wanted to respond to the abusive KLM staff but I was over the phone."
According to a CISF official, who was on night duty, a woman was crying near the KLM counter. "During a normal security patrolling, we saw a verbal altercation between KLM officials and a woman. We also saw that KLM staff rudely behaved with the woman. Later, we were told that she had been denied boarding but the victim was crying very loudly. She was at the airport from 12 am till next day," a CISF official told MAIL TODAY on the condition of anonymity.
However, Joost Ruempol, senior press officer, KLM , said, "If there is any reason to doubt a passenger's documents or travel purposes, every airline is obliged to do another round of checking. Eventually, the airline may deny boarding to the passenger. In this particular case, the passenger was not clear about her travel purposes. After another round of security check, it was decided to let her board the next flight."
According to a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, "We have been noticing that a few private airlines are misusing the privilege of denying boarding if they found anything suspicious about any passengers. Airlines should also involve Indian agencies and inform passengers about the reason of denying boarding. Soon, we will take some steps in regard," a senior official of ministry of civil aviation told MAIL TODAY.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kerala-woman-slams-klm-airline-for-racial-slur/1/471837.html
