Manipur women allege racism by private airline staff
Source: The Sangai Express / India Today

New Delhi, February 06 2017: Two women from Manipur who were taking a flight from Delhi to Amsterdam on Sunday, have alleged racism and harassment on the part of four Jet Airways staff who stopped them just before immigration at Delhi Airport.

Huishuwo Horngamla, 24, and Ramrek Premmi, 22, were headed to the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts, for which they were supposed to take a transit flight � Jet KLM 3817 Delhi- Amsterdam � at 3 AM on Sunday.

"We reached Delhi as per the schedule.

Just as we were headed for immigration Jet staff stopped us asking for documents," said Premmi.

She explained that she and Horngamla showed the staff "all the documents like passport, visa and work permit " .

"Then too they said that we can't go.

We asked why can't we go.

The staffer replied that you will know the answer when you miss the flight," Premmi said.

The women allegedly missed their flight because of the staff, one of whom has been identified as Sanjiv.

They were made to sit at a Jet Airways counter for 10 hours by the duty manager Sapna.

Then, their employer � S R Shahani � contacted authorities in Saint Kitts, who in turn contacted immigration authorities.

The women were then booked into a flight back to Mumbai, and on a Mumbai- Amsterdam- Saint Martin flight on February 10 .

"Behaviour of the staff was rude and they did it because we come from a particular place.

We want action against the staff", Premmi said.

She and Horngamla are headed to the Caribbean to work at a salon.

Guests travelling on 9w-234, BOM-DEL-AMS-SXM-SKB, had check in luggage which could be tagged to SXM and not to final destination SKB, as the carrier does not have a codeshare nor interline through check in arrangement with the onward carrier Windward Island Airways, Jet Airways said.

As is practiced by airlines from time to time, Jet Airways staff consulted the Airline Liaison Officer located in Delhi , (out of concern) to check if guests could collect their bags at SXM and check in for their final destination.

The ALO advised that this was not a suitable way to travel and hence the airline could not board the guests for the flight.

(It may be noted that the guests did not have transit visa nor hotel booking at SXM) .

Guests were then explained the situation and offered refreshments by the airline.

The airline staff in the meantime checked all other routing possibilities , however only AMS was available.

The guests upon their request were rerouted back to their point of origin, being Mumbai, for a fresh travel itinerary.

Jet Airways regrets inconvenience to guests.

Comment