TDP MP Diwakar Reddy joins Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad in the flight ban saga after ruckus at Vizag airport

Telugu Desam Party MP from Anantpur Diwakar Reddy has been barred from flying on several airlines after he created a ruckus at the Visakhapatnam airport on Thursday, June 15. The MP is said to have shown aggressive behaviour with an IndiGo airline staffer after he was denied boarding for being late.

While IndiGo did accommodate Reddy after civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju intervened, the airline later announced that it had put a ban on Reddy from flying IndiGo. Supporting the airline's decision, other carriers Air India, Jet Airways, Spice Jet, Go Air and Vistara have also decided to bar the MP from flying with them.

"The Visakhapatnam incident is a matter of concern. As IndiGo has banned the MP, AI has also barred his travel on our flights," the Times of India quoted the AI spokesman. Vistara too released a statement on the same and said that they were banning the MP "in support of the fellow carriers."

Reddy was scheduled to fly on IndiGo 6E-608 from Vishakhapatnam to Hyderabad and reached the airport 28 minutes before departure, according to the airline, whereas check-in counters close 45 minutes before departure. When he wasn't allowed to board he is said to have got violent and abusive with the airline staffer.

The TDP MP has now apologised for his behaviour.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the MP has been pulled up for such behaviour. He was involved in a similar incident in October 2016 as well.

In March this year, Air India had banned Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad from flying with them for getting violent with a staffer. Later numerous other airlines followed suit.