In this golden era of flying, humiliation is one of the issues to fear. Deplaning of bona fide air passengers has become an airline’s legal right. Should the issue like the off-loading occurring frequently be taken up by every country seriously as a crime against humanity? Not at all and not until flyers themselves improve their own mindset and behaviour.
The compensation offered to the doctor who was traveling on United Airlines and was recently forced off from the plane has little significance compared to loss of respect and honour that one possesses. Human dignity is more important to be cared in the first instance. Some of airline’s self-made rules are not user friendly, which causes chaos. I, too, have suffered at the hands of prominent airlines on the ground as well as on board. I would like to narrate two incidents that were highly deplorable. In the recent past a staff member at the check-in counter refused hand items to be carried on by my ailing wife in a wheel chair. Her shoulder purse and a small air-bag containing necessary medicine was considered objectionable. The stance taken by the airline was: “Wheel chair passengers are not allowed to carry any luggage.” The second humiliating incident happened recently while on board when the toilet door violently knocked while I was inside. Terrified I came out without easing myself to see an angry flight attendant standing in front of me admonishing: “Don’t you know using the toilet is prohibited during landing?” I took it resolutely and said I would be careful on my next flight.
We as passengers need to do our part to obey the rules if we expect airlines to be more lenient with the rules they are imposing on us.
- The reader lives in Dubai.
