Family Of 8 Spends Rs 49 Lakh On Flight, KLM Denies Boarding At Bengaluru Airport A family of eight from Tamil Nadu has sparked a legal dispute after being denied boarding on a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight to Peru, with a Karnataka court ordering an FIR against the airline's top executives. The incident, which occurred on June 19, 2024, involved a group of relatives of J S Sathishkumar, chairman of a medical institution in Salem, who had booked eight non-refundable business-class tickets worth approximately Rs 49 lakh. The family's planned trip to Peru was abruptly halted when they were denied boarding at Bengaluru airport moments before departure, citing visa-related issues. The court in Devanahalli, which oversees Kempegowda International Airport, directed police to register a First Information Report (FIR) against KLM's CEO and COO following a complaint filed by Sathishkumar. The complaint alleges that the airline's staff failed to correctly interpret Peru's entry requirements, leading to the family's last-minute exclusion. Sathishkumar claims that Indian passport holders with valid visas or residence permits from countries like the United States, United Kingdom, or Schengen nations are exempt from obtaining separate Peruvian visas. He asserts that the airline's misinterpretation of the visa rules was the root cause of the denied boarding. The family had arrived at the airport well in advance and completed all initial formalities, but they were informed shortly before departure that they would not be allowed to board. According to Sathishkumar, the airline staff cited the absence of a Peruvian visa as the reason, despite the family's documentation meeting the criteria.#peru #j_s_sathishkumar #klm_royal_dutch_airlines #bengaluru_airport #devanahalli_court
