Dr Samir Mansoori files complaints in the State Human Rights Commission and Consumer court against SpiceJet

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday 2^nd April 2013; Mumbai: Specialist ayurvedic doctor Dr Samir Mansoori has filed complaints against SpiceJet airline in the Consumer court as well as the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission. Dr Samir Mansoori who is blind since childhood has accused SpiceJet Airlines of being insensitive to a handicapped person, besides the airline crew using vulgar, defamatory and insulting language and gestures. The written complaints were filed on Tuesday by Dr Samir Mansoori’s team of lawyers on his behalf.

Dr Mansoori has been running from pillar to post to get justice for himself for the last one month after the discourteous and insolent incident last month. Mansoori and a colleague who was travelling with him on 1st March 2013 on a SpiceJet flight from Ahmedabad to Dubai were humiliated, ill-treated and insulted by the cabin crew and staff of SpiceJet who were rude, insensitive and not at all sensitized to handling physically challenged individuals. The jet-setting Dr Samir Mansoori who holds a doctorate in Ayurveda and is a much decorated medical professional who has lectured and traveled all over the world has vowed that he will leave no stone upturned unless he gets an apology from SpiceJet. His clients include some top Bollywood stars to businessmen and politicians all over India and in other parts of the world too.

Says Dr Samir Mansoori, “It all started as soon as we boarded the fight. I was suffering from a severe headache and requested the cabin crew for a cup of tea. Unfortunately, the service was over and the cabin crew refused to oblige. What was a very minor matter escalated into a major argument with some passengers taking sides. The cabin crew was adamant and would not budge instead of being courteous and apologetic. They refused to help me doctor and instead the captain of the aircraft informed the control tower at Dubai.” When the plane landed at Dubai, the doors were not unarmed for about 30 minutes. The passengers were kept locked up in the plane till the police could arrive. The doors were only opened when the police arrived and boarded the aircraft. The doctor and a couple of passengers were hauled to the police booth at Dubai airport where they explained the situation. When the police realized that Dr Samir Mansoori was blind and not keeping well they immediately let them go, but the damage was already caused in terms of embarrassment and humiliation in front of all the other passengers on the aircraft.

Dr Samir Mansoori has written several letters to the SpiceJet management, but of no serious response has been forthcoming. Says Dr Mansoori, “Besides an automated response from a junior executive, nobody has bothered to contact me after the incident. The staff were extremely rude and made fun of my disability. They were laughing and joking among themselves and considered it some sort of a “battle” between the passenger and themselves not to forget using vulgar language and gestures.”

Since SpiceJet has not responded with a proper apology, Dr Samir Mansoori has filed a complaint with the Consumer Forum, the State Human Rights Commission and the DGCA.