After troubling Shikhar Dhawan's family, Emirates Airline gets flak from Kevin Pietersen, issues apology

After causing trouble to Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan, his wife and children, Emirates Airline returned to troubled waters when England cricketer and commentator Kevin Pietersen lashed out at the airlines for so many reasons.

The airline left Pietersen's bags in Dubai when the cricketer boarded a flight to Melbourne, Australia, for the coverage of ongoing Big Bash League. Soon after reaching Melbourne, the presenter was to come on international TV and for that, he had no appropriate clothes.

The 37-year-old was also upset that the airlines had "forgotten" to pick him up for his flight to Dubai from the United Kingdom. Adding to this, the flight was delayed and he wasn't able to watch BBL on the plane because it did not have a TV set for the live cricket match.

"1. Thanks @emirates for waiting for us to connect after our delay. 2. Why the hell is there no LIVE tv on this 13hr flight?!?! I can’t watch @BBL now!," Pietersen said on Twitter.

After losing his bag in Dubai, Pietersen was given a credit card by the Emirates to buy some clothes for his forthcoming TV appearance. However, that wasn't enough for the cricketer as he couldn't afford a pair of socks after buying required things through the credit card.

Showing his feet without socks, Pietersen tweeted: "The @emirates credit card ran out when I went to the socks counter...! Gutted, but got some decent get up!"

Following the whole episode, Emirates Airline apologised for the inconvenience caused to the England cricketer.

Emirates spokesperson was quoted by IBTimes UK, saying, "Due to a technical issue that caused a delay in the departure of Mr Pietersen's flight from London Heathrow to Dubai on 27 December, his baggage, unfortunately, did not make the connecting flight to Melbourne on which he travelled. He was provided with Interim Relief compensation in accordance with our baggage policy. His baggage has since been sent to Melbourne."

Earlier, Indian batsman Dhawan accused Emirates Airline of stopping his family from boarding the connecting flight from Dubai to South Africa.

The opener solammed the airlines of "unprofessional" behaviour and alleged that the Airline stopped his family from boarding the connecting flight from Dubai en route Cape Town, where India is set to open their Test tour against South Africa.

The right-handed batsman took to Twitter and said that the airlines asked for some documents of his wife Aesha and children as identification proofs and added that the airlines did not inform them beforehand about it.

Irked Dhawan tweeted, "Absolutely unprofessional from @emirates. Was on my way 2 SA with my fam & was told that my wife and kids can't board the flight from Dubai to SA. Was asked to produce birth certificates & other documents fr my kids at the airport which we obviously didn't have at that moment."

"They are now at Dubai airport waiting for the documents to arrive. Why didn't @emirates notify about such a situation when we were boarding the plane from Mumbai? One of the emirates' employee was being rude for no reason at all," he wrote in another tweet.

In response, Emirate Airline issued a statement and clarified, "Since 1 June 2015, according to South African regulations, anyone travelling to the country with a minor under 18 needs to prove parenthood or guardianship - while adults travelling alone with their children need to show that they have the consent of their non-travelling partner."

"Like all airlines, we must comply with the laws of every country in which we operate and this is a shared responsibility with passengers, who are required to hold valid travel documents for all countries on their itinerary," the statement further read.

India will play three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is against the Proteas, with the first Test starting January 5. 

(With ANI inputs)