Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

35-year-old Shabnam Mansuri not allowed to board Mumbai-Ahmedabad GoAir flight with two children as she was not accompanied by an adult

A 35-year-old visually challenged woman, who was scheduled to fly from Mumbai to Ahmedabad by a GoAir flight on Monday morning, was stopped from boarding the aircraft by an airline staffer at the domestic terminal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport. The reason: The visually challenged woman was without an adult escort and accompanied by her two sons, Lukmaan, 9, and Lutfan, 2.

Shabnam Mansuri, who lives at Jaheda Apartment in Juhapura, had gone to Mumbai with her children to meet her husband Dr Samir Mansuri, an Ayurveda practitioner in Oshiwara, Andheri (West). “Seems humanity doesn’t exist,” said Shabnam, who runs a non-profit organisation, Blinds Dream, that works to empower visually challenged persons.

Booked in advance
Dr Mansuri told Mirror the tickets for his wife and children had been booked well in advance – on September 2.

“At the time of booking, we had made it clear that the passenger is a blind woman travelling with two children,” he said, adding that they had informed the booking agent to request for an escort citing disability.

However, a day prior to the flight, Dr Mansuri received a call from the agent, saying that the flight was being cancelled. “I sensed something amiss. I had a heated argument with the agent and said that we would anyway go to the airport and check if the flight was being cancelled,” he said.

Sorry, you can’t board

Shabnam was scheduled to attend an important meeting on September 5 in connection with a show co-ordinated by her organisation.

The next day, Shabnam’s friend, Rajal dropped her off at the airport. “We reached by 6.30 am – well in time,” said Shabnam, who found her way through the entire procedure of handing over her luggage, getting the boarding pass and clearing security check.

“Just as the kids and I were about to board the plane, a GoAir employee by the name of Smruti stopped me and said I could not get on board with the kids as I am blind,” said Shabnam. “I told her it wasn’t the first time I was travelling, but she refused to listen. Despite offering to sign the ‘responsibility’ form, I was not allowed.”

Shabnam made the crew members speak to her husband, who also requested that she be allowed on board.

Dr Mansuri said he even told the crew members over phone that Shabnam would carry the younger boy in her arms while the older child would help her navigate by holding her hand.

“I told them that my 9-year-old son is capable of helping his mother and Shabnam would take her seat without inconveniencing other passengers,” said Dr Mansuri.

Shabnam said she has been taking flights for the past eight years and has never faced any problem. “About four or five years ago, I had taken a GoAir flight to Mumbai and at that time nobody stopped me.”

Shabnam said that there’s no law that prevents a blind person from boarding an aircraft with his/her kids. “Is this how an airline treats you?” asked Shabnam.

JetLite to rescue
“Left with no choice, I bought a JetLite ticket for the same evening. JetLite staff were very co-operative. The even got me a taxi so I could go back home to Andheri as there was a gap of nearly 12 hours for the flight,” she said.

The airline has now assured the passengers that it will refund the fare. “I’m not sure we want that,” said Shabnam.

Dr Mansuri echoed her view. “I do not want the money. We just wanted to be treated well, without being forced to realise time and again the disability we have,” he said.

What the airline says
A GoAir spokesperson said that Shabnam Mansuri checked in with her children (one an infant). Had the visually challenged woman been travelling alone, GoAir could have readily accepted her and facilitated her journey. However, as she was travelling with two children, one an infant, an able-bodied adult was essential to accompany her along with her children to look after the children in case of an emergency.

“The matter was explained at the boarding gate and the lady was comforted. Her relative returned and escorted the three Mansuris back. Ms Mansuri’s tickets were fully refunded. The decision to not allow travel was taken only in the interest of Ms Mansuri and her children’s safety. There was no intent to discriminate, or cause any discomfort.”