Biman to face music for bumping passenger to accommodate ‘VIPs’

Debbrata Kumar Sarkar went to visit Kolkata last month with his family and friends, booking seven return tickets in advance. When they were checking-in at Kolkata airport for their return flight, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines officials told them to cancel two tickets for two “VIP” passengers. Debbrata had to oblige. After landing in Dhaka, he filed a complaint with the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP). Debbrata and a Biman representative have been asked to appear for a hearing on November 21. DNCRP sources said Debbrata filed his complaint about Biman’s services on September 13. The directorate’s Assistant Director Fahmina Akter wrote to Biman on November 1 to inform that a hearing would take place on November 21 on the passenger’s complaint in presence of a Biman representative. DNCRP sources said Debbrata and six others – family and friends – went to Kolkata for holiday. He had purchased seven tickets to travel to Kolkata on September 2 and return to Dhaka on September 11. When they arrived at the Kolkata airport on September 11, they were told two of their tickets had to be cancelled for VIP passengers. The Biman officials had assured to send Debbrata’s remaining companions home in the next available flight. As Debbrata was allegedly forced to cancel his tickets, six of them returned to Dhaka with Debbrata’s son on his lap. His friend Krishna Saha was left behind at the Kolkata airport. In his complaint, Debbrata said his friend had to stay at the airport alone the whole night and returned home the next day. The Biman authorities did not arrange accommodation and food for him. Debbrata said Biman had not informed him about the ticket issue beforehand. “My friend had to spend the night at the airport without any food. What sort of service would you call it?” Fakhrul Islam, Biman’s station manager at Kolkata airport, told the Bangla Tribune over phone: “I don’t remember any such incident. E-mail me if you have any complaints. I will look into it.”This article was first published on Bangla Tribune