Gaikwad ban to continue unless he apologises: AICCA

New Delhi [India], Apr. 7 (ANI): Describing parliamentarian Ravindra Gaikwad "a threat" to passengers and crew, All India Cabin Crew Association (AICCA) general secretary Sanjay Lazar on Friday said the Shiv Sena leader would continue to remain on the no-fly list till he tenders an unconditional apology. "Cabin crew is unsafe and so are the pilots. We would like to have protection, because this gentleman (Gaikwad) is a threat to flight safety. He has already endangered flight safety once and it will be a risk to other passengers to fly with him. Therefore our cabin crew are feeling unsafe and we would like to take appropriate steps on it," Lazar told ANI. Lazar informed that a privileged motion has been moved against Gaikwad in parliament and a request has been made to the Ethics Committee to look into the matter. Yesterday Lazar wrote a letter to the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India Ashwani Lohani stating that the embargo imposed by airlines on Gaikwad after he indulged in an altercation with an Air India stafefer, would continue to remain unless he apologises for his actions. "For either the ministry or the parliament to allow such a person to get away without even a rap on the knuckles or even forcing an apology to all Air-Indians and indeed all Indians, would be a crying shame and would reflect very sadly on the international comity of labour workers, and of civilised humans all over. It would also crush the morale of all employees and indeed all fair minded Indians and other domestic airlines who watched the situation in Air India, to take a cue as to how the Company would deal with this situation. We do not wish to be flying such a person," the letter said. "We as cabin crew, must only point out that Ravindra Gaikwad is and will continue to be a risk to Flight Safety and flight Operations and to cabin crew safety on board, and hence Government must think long and hard about letting him back on. In fact, unless he tenders an unconditional apology to AI employees, and undertakes in writing to abide by the Chicago and Tokyo Conventions and Rules of the Air and follow all cabin safety and public behaviour norms, we must not let him on board," the letter added. The letter came hours after Gaikwad, in a letter to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, expressed "regrets" over the incident and said that he was clearly told this was a pre-requisite for him to fly again. The letter claims the restriction on flying is preventing the "effective discharge of his duties and responsibilities." (ANI)