Suresh Prabhu orders probe in British Airways fiasco

Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday ordered probe in the British Airways incident after the airline allegedly deplaned an Indian family because their three-year-old child was crying onboard while they were traveling from London to Berlin.

The British Airlines issued a statement in this regard, which read, "It is a safety requirement for all airlines, that passengers are seated and have their seatbelt fastened for take-off. We are investigating the complaint and will liaise with our customer."

The incident took place on July 23 in the British Airways London-Berlin flight (BA 8495).

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, father of the child A.P Pathak, a Joint Secretary level officer in the Government of India (Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways), narrated the whole ordeal.

He said, "We were traveling to Berlin from London in the British Airways. Our son started crying and a flight attendant came and threatened to offload us if our child didn't keep quiet and after a while, he called security and we were offloaded."

Pathak wrote a letter to Union Minister of Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu alleging "humiliation and racial behaviour" by the airline. The family also requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to get the matter investigated and take stringent action against the offending officials of the British Airways.