Almost every new parent’s worry while travelling on a flight is that their child may start crying, putting them in an embarrassing position. But for this Darbhanga couple travelling with their 3-day-old infant, they never reached that stage. Why? Because they never boarded their SpiceJet flight bound for Delhi. So, what does the airline’s lap passenger policy state? Find out.
Spicejet Refuses Borading For Couple Travelling With 3-Day-Old Infant
A couple hailing from Darbhanga claims that Spicejet Airline denied them boarding on a scheduled flight with their 3-day-old baby. This is despite them being charged for the “lap passenger” service.
The couple was scheduled to board the Darbhanga to New Delhi flight at 1:50 pm. However, Anil Kumar Jha and his wife encountered an issue at the check-in counter.
The airline staff informed them that their three-day-old newborn couldn’t fly as a “lap passenger” due to company regulations. Jha, who was headed to Delhi to visit a terminally ill relative, expressed that the airline cited their norms as the reason for denying them entry with their newborn, reported Hindustan Times.
Also Read: No AC For 1.5 Hrs SpiceJet Ahmedabad-Bound Flight Left Passengers In Discomfort
The couple asserted that they had disclosed the infant’s age while booking the ticket. In a desperate bid to comply with the airline’s demands, a relative hurried to a local doctor to obtain a medical fitness certificate for the baby.
What Does The Airline’s Lap Service Classification State?
However, the airline staff declined to acknowledge the certificate, said the report. As per the Hindustan Times report, Dr Om Prakash, a well-known neonatal expert, examined the newborn. He found the baby to be healthy and fit for air travel.
But, Satyendra Jha, the director of Darbhanga airport, restated the airline’s rejection of allowing the newborn on the flight. Spicejet’s website classifies infants as children above 7 days and below 2 years old on the travel date.
Despite this, the reports state that the couple claims to have disclosed the infant’s age while booking their tickets. As a response, The couple was assured a full refund of their tickets, stated the reports.
The couple has been asked to write a mail for a refund, including the ₹1700 they had paid for the “lap passenger”. While we’re sure most of us would rejoice at a flight experience without a baby on board, it can be overwhelming for new parents though.
Was it really the airline or the parents at fault? The stress of travelling alone can be anxiety-inducing, and then experiencing an incident like this could make it worse. Have you or anyone you know gone through a similar incident? If so, how did you or they deal with it?
Also Read: SpiceJet Tyre Burst While Arriving From Dubai To Kochi; Zero Casualties Reported After Touchdown
Let us know in the comments.
Cover image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons