BJP minister not allowed to board AI flight

B P Singh reached airport around 8 am for the flight scheduled to leave for New Delhi at 9.10 am.

A Madhya Pradesh minister was not allowed to board a Delhi-bound Air India flight from Raja Bhoj Airport despite having a proper ticket as the plane was filled to its capacity,official sources said on Sunday.

State Agriculture Minister Brajendra Pratap Singh had reached the airport around 8 am yesterday for the flight scheduled to leave for New Delhi at 9.10 am. But,when he went to the check-in counter,the official on duty told him that he could not be accommodated in the plane as it was full to its capacity,they said.

However,Manohar Dubey,the deputy secretary,public services guarantee,who was also accompanying the minister and was standing in front of him in the queue,was allowed to board the plane.

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The minister,along with Dubey,was on his way to Delhi enroute to US to collect an award given by the United Nations for the work done by the Madhya Pradesh government under the Public Services Guarantee Act.

The minister later went to Delhi by a state government plane,officials said,adding that a complaint has been lodged with the airline authorities in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile,AI officials said the Airbus 320 has a capacity to accommodate 167 passengers and tickets are usually issued to five or six additional passengers anticipating cancellations.

All airlines do this,that is why we insist that passengers should report to the counter well in advance, an AI official said,adding that the minister was not allowed to board the plane as he reached the check-in counter after the flight was full.