In what could be termed as a surprise move, Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad canceled his Air-India Pune-Delhi ticket, and boarded a train to the national capital, new agency IANS reported today, while quoting unnamed sources.
The Shiv Sena MP, may be, was fearing backlash from the employees of the national career.
It was the same flight, AI-852, which did not offer business class that day, leading to a verbal and physical altercation with the airline staffers.
According to information available with AI at 9.30 a.m., the Osmanabad MP was expected to take the flight and travel in business class.
It culminated in an assault of a senior official, two police complaints lodged against him, his blacklisting and flying ban by all Indian airlines that led to protests from the Shiv Sena.
Last week, after Gaikwad tendered a letter expressing "regrets" over the incident, Air India revoked the flying ban on Saturday, followed by the private airlines.