MPs want VVIP treatment on airlines, seek auto upgrade, better food

A house committee of MPs has recommended that parliamentarians be given preference in private airlines. Apart from an auto upgrade to business class and better menu onboard, parliamentarians are also seeking personal briefing by customs officials on what they can carry duty-free from foreign tours.

The recommendations were made by the panel during a meeting with Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju. The House panel headed by Karnataka BJP MP Suresh Angadi suggested that private airlines give first preference to parliamentarians just like Air India does and offer front row seats as that MPs can leave the aircraft early.

Sources from the MP's office confirmed the recommendations made but maintained that the report was not for public consumption. "Some recommendations have been made to make air travel easy for parliamentarians. MPs are in a rush and need to be faster and the recommendation is only aimed at that," the source added.

Recommendations have been made by the consultative committee on Civil Aviation to direct airlines including private ones to automatically upgrade an MP's ticket to business class in case there are seats available. The committee has also asked for Airlines to regularly review the food served so as to alter the menu and avoid repetition.

The news of the recommendation to offer VVIP treatment to MPs comes at a time when parliamentarians like Shiv Sena's Ravindra Gaikwad and TDP's Diwakar Reddy have been caught redhanded misbehaving with airlines officials.

OneIndia News