IndiGo airline faces flak after denying seat to specially abled teen, CEO offers to buy electric wheelchair

Ronojoy Dutta, CEO of IndiGo, has expressed remorse for an incident in which a differently-abled kid was denied boarding a flight due to his lack of “normal” behaviour. He even offered to buy the teenager an electric wheelchair.

A special needs child and his parents were denied boarding by an IndiGo airline representative at Ranchi airport because they did not behave in a “typical” manner. The representative got into a verbal spat with the family and other passengers when they objected.

Here’s a video of the incident at Ranchi airport, in which @IndiGo6E airlines denied a special needs youngster and his child boarding.

Here is the video of the incident that happened at Ranchi airport where @IndiGo6E airlines denies boarding to a special need child along with his child.
Seems lack of empathy from Indigo staff, not the first time though.
Indigo to issue a statement shortly. @JM_Scindia https://t.co/5ixUDZ009a pic.twitter.com/SyTNgAQIT6

— Dibyendu Mondal (@dibyendumondal) May 8, 2022

The IndiGo employee allegedly declared the specially-abled youngster a flight danger, comparing his or her state (teenage assertiveness) to that of drunken travellers, and deeming the child unfit for travel.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia responded to the event by saying that appropriate action would be taken against the airline. Scindia stated that such discriminatory behaviour by airline employees was unacceptable and that he was personally investigating the incident.

“We all know that parents who devote their lives to caring for physically disabled children are great heroes in our society. We sincerely apologise for the bad experience and would like to offer to purchase an electric wheelchair for their son as a tiny symbol of our thanks for their lifelong dedication “According to IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta.

Speaking about the incident, however, he said, the airline had “made the best possible decision under difficult circumstances”. “While providing courteous and compassionate service to our customers is of paramount importance to us, the airport staff, in line with the safety guidelines, were forced to make a difficult decision as to whether this commotion would carry forward aboard the aircraft. Having reviewed all aspects of this incident, we as an organization are of the view that we made the best possible decision under difficult circumstances,” a statement from Dutta read.

“Throughout the check-in and boarding process, our intent, of course, was to carry the family. However, at the boarding area the teenager was visibly in panic,” the statement read.