Domestic airlines impose flying ban on TDP MP Diwakar Reddy

A day after TDP MP J C Diwakar Reddy created ruckus at the Vishakapatnam airport, all domestic airlines have put a flying ban on the MP following his alleged unruly behaviour when he was denied boarding for an IndiGo flight.

Full-service carrier Vistara and budget airlines -- GoAir and AirAsia India -- today barred Reddy from their flights.

Air India, SpiceJet and Jet Airways followed IndiGo yesterday, which imposed the flying ban on him.

In a show of unity, all major domestic airlines have barred Reddy from taking their flights -- similar to action taken by the carriers after the incident involving Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad earlier this year.

"After careful consideration of the various issues and ramifications of the actions of Reddy, GoAir has also taken a decision of not accepting any further bookings for the said passenger," the airline said in a statement.

An AirAsia India spokesperson said it has also barred Reddy from flying.

"In support of the fellow carriers, Vistara has also taken a decision to impose flying ban on J C Diwakar Reddy," a Vistara spokesperson said.

On Thursday, Reddy was scheduled to fly IndiGo's flight 6E-608, which departs from Visakhapatnam at 8.10 am, to Hyderabad.

But he reached just 28 minutes before the scheduled departure, according to the airline.

As per norms laid out by the aviation regulator, airlines close check-in counters for all domestic fights 45 minutes prior to departure.

Reddy -- who had allegedly vandalised the Air India office at Gannavaram airport in Vijaywada last year after he missed his flight -- got into a verbal spat with the ground staff and threw a printer kept at the airline's counter after he was informed that boarding for his flight had closed.