British Airways offloads Indian family over crying 3-year-old son
What's the story
In a shocking case, an Indian family has alleged their three-year-old child was threatened by a crew member of British Airways because he was crying.
Eventually, all three of them were offloaded before the London-Berlin flight took off.
Not just them, but another family who had tried consoling the sobbing child was also made to get off.
The IES officer has now demanded redressal.
Flight
The child was uncomfortable due to seat belt
According to the joint secretary-level officer in the road transport ministry, he was traveling on Flight BA 8495 on July 23 with his wife and child, TOI reports.
Before taking off, they fastened the seat belt on their son, but the uncomfortable child started crying.
The mother then took him in his arms to console him, when a male crew member approached them and started shouting.
Threat
Crew member threatened to throw him 'out of the window'
The child got terrified and started sobbing more loudly. Another Indian family seated behind them offered him some biscuits while they tried putting him on his seat again.
The plane started taxiing to the runway, but as the child kept crying, the same crew member returned and shouted, "You bloody keep quiet otherwise you'll be thrown out of the window."
"We were petrified," the officer claimed.
Complaint
Officer writes to Suresh Prabhu urging 'strictest possible action'
The plane then returned to the terminal, where the crew member called security and had their boarding passes taken away. They were then made to get off, and so was the Indian family behind.
The officer has now written to Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu regarding the "humiliation and racial behavior."
"I request to have the matter investigated and take strictest possible action," he wrote.
Quote
We don't tolerate discrimination, have started a probe: British Airways
British Airways has also started a probe, it said. "We take such claims like this extremely seriously and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We are in direct contact with the customer," TOI quoted a spokesperson as saying.