Renuka Chowdhary slams Air India for retail therapy gaffe

Firebrand Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdhury has denied reports that her shopping spree at the Delhi airport forced a 45-minute delay of the Air India Hyderabad bound Delhi flight.

She plans to meet Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapthy Raju to protest the Air India version of events, and if the airline cannot prove its allegation, she will demand action against the official who said her retail therapy inconvenienced many other passengers.

Air India sources said yesterday that Ms Chowdhury, who is a Congress member of the Rajya Sabha, showed up late to board the flight on Friday despite repeated announcements by the airline's staff. By the time she arrived at the gate, the pilot had reportedly missed his place in the line for departures on the runway.

Airport authorities said that since her luggage was boarded and she was a privileged MP, they could not leave her behind. For security reasons, flights can't carry unaccompanied baggage.

Choudhury says that she was not shopping and did not hear herself being paged. She said she was late to the gate because she had requested a buggy to drive her as she had a knee problem. "How did they say I was shopping? Air India now has to prove that I was shopping or else I will take action," she fumed.