Medical manual followed for wheelchair passenger: Sahara

New Delhi, June 19 (UNI) Stung by the criticism of offloading a cerebral palsy patient, Rajiv Ranjan, Sahara Airlines today said it was only following IATA medical regulations in respect of wheelchair passengers.

Based on news reports, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had asked Air Sahara, taken over by Jet Airways, to explain the circumstances under which Rajiv Ranjan, an NGO activist, was offloaded from one of its flights.

''Our policies are in line with standard IATA practices and we have been following relevent clauses including transportation of sick passengers on board needing stretchers and or other medical attention,'' Jet Lite (India), the joint company after the takeover, clarified in a statement here.

Rajiv was to fly by an Air Sahara flight from Chennai to Delhi yesterday to attend a meeting here but the airline staff allegedly prevented him from boarding the flight.

The staff contended he was not fit to fly and needed an escort or a certificate stating he was fit to fly.

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