In what is currently being investigated, table tennis player Manika Batra, who is currently ranked at number 58 in the world, was denied to board an Air India flight to Melbourne, Australia on Sunday. She and six others were denied entry. The Indian team comprised of 17 players were to board the Air India flight AI 0308 and head to Melbourne to participate in the ITTF World Tour Australian Open which begins from Monday.
Batra took to Twitter to narrate her ordeal. “Our contingent of total 17 players & officials of Indian table tennis team including CWG medalist myself, Sharath Kamal, Mouma Das, Madhurika, Harmeet, Suthirta, Sathyan were supposed to fly today to Melbourne by AI 0308 to participate in ITTF World Tour Australian Open from tom [ sic],” she wrote, adding that Air India let 10 people from the team fly but not the others.
Our contingent of total 17 players & officials of Indian table tennis team including CWG medalist myself, Sharath Kamal, Mouma Das, Madhurika, Harmeet, Suthirta, Sathyan were supposed to fly today to Melbourne by AI 0308 to participate in ITTF World Tour Australian Open from tom
— Manika Batra (@manikabatra_TT) July 22, 2018
Contd- On reaching Air India counter we were told dat flight is overbooked &only 10 members of TT team can fly which left us in a shock.7 of us are still unable to fly.All the tickets were booked by Balmer Lawrie.@Ra_THORe @PMOIndia Shocked at such mismanagement by @airindiain
— Manika Batra (@manikabatra_TT) July 22, 2018
The Director-General of Sports Authority of India, Neelam Kapur, took cognisance of the issue and it was then reported that Air India let the team fly on its 10:45PM flight.
I would like to thank @NeelamKapur mam for the prompt action and getting our tickets booked for tonight. Finally got my boarding pass and flying soon. Thanks @Media_SAI @Ra_THORe sir @PMOIndia sir pic.twitter.com/ciZPt07fAB
— Manika Batra (@manikabatra_TT) July 22, 2018
Here’s what Neelam Kapur had to add to the whole incident:
The team reached late. They were supposed to reach three hours before the flight but reached at 10.30 for the flight at 12.40. https://t.co/q3ByMlzrTO
— Neelam Kapur (@NeelamKapur) July 22, 2018
