Civil Aviation Ministry has sought reports from Air India on the recent incidents involving Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju which allegedly led to delay of flights.

“We are awaiting reports on the (two) incidents from Air India,” Civil Aviation Secretary R.N. Choubey said here today.

The Ministry has asked Air India to submit the reports soon and “would take a call after receiving them”, he said.

An Air India flight to Newark from Mumbai was delayed by nearly an hour on June 29 after it was reported that an aide of Fadnavis travelling with him had not carried his passport with valid US visa.

Principal Secretary Pravin Pardeshi was cleared at the check-in but was held back before boarding as the passport he was carrying did not have the valid visa.

On June 24, a flight from Leh to Delhi carrying Rijiju was delayed for about an hour and three passengers, including a child, were allegedly offloaded to accommodate him and his PA.

Rijuju had claimed it was not a “delay” as the departure of the flight was “preponed” due to technical reasons.

Published on July 2, 2015