On 3 November, a 28-year-old woman alleged that three Air Asia staff members misbehaved with her and sexually harassed her. She has lodged an FIR in Bengaluru against the three employees. Cases under sections 354, 341 and 509 have been registered.
According to the FIR, the woman was harassed on the flight as well as on the airport runway, where she was restrained against her will at 1 am at night.
They took me to the baggage pick-up point and held me there and were not allowing me to go. I was surrounded by the Air Asia staff as if I had committed a major crime. I said that I want to go as I am not keeping well and they cannot hold me like this in the middle of the night, but they didn’t listen. I could hear one of the staff talking on his walky-talky to someone who was assuring him that nothing is going to happen as he will take care of the situation even if I complain.FIR
She says that finally the CRPF officers helped her get out of the ordeal.
She also said that she was quite surprised the staff were taking each other’s side and that they were not bothered by the idea of customer service.
In a statement to ANI, the 28-year-old said:
I found toilet of the aircraft dirty and complained. The cabin steward scolded and touched me inappropriately. He also threatened to deboard me. Air Asia staff at Hyderabad supported him. They even humiliated me before the police.
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