Family Denied Boarding At Bengaluru Airport After Rs 49 Lakh Spend; FIR Against Airline CEO

A court in Karnataka has ordered an FIR against senior officials of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines after a family of eight was allegedly denied boarding at the last minute at Bengaluru airport, despite holding valid tickets worth Rs 49 lakh.

The incident dates back to June 2024, when the family, led by a Salem-based medical institution chairman, JS Sathishkumar, was scheduled to travel from Bengaluru to Peru. They had booked eight non-refundable business class tickets and reached the airport well in advance, but were stopped from boarding shortly before departure.

FIR Against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ Officials

The directive was issued by a civil judge and judicial magistrate in Devanahalli, under whose jurisdiction Kempegowda International Airport falls. The order came after a complaint was filed

by Sathishkumar after his family was denied boarding at Bengaluru airport due to confusion around visa.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, a court in Karnataka has directed the police to register an FIR against senior executives of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (the flag carrier of the Netherlands), including its chief executive officer (CEO) and chief operating officer (COO).

Rs 49 Lakh Spent On Flight Tickets

According to complainant, the family of eight were scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Peru on KLM.

The family had booked eight non-refundable business-class tickets for June 19, 2024, reportedly costing around Rs 49 lakh, with a return journey planned for July 3, 2024.

The report said that the family arrived at Bengaluru airport well in advance and completed initial formalities, but after waiting at the check-in counter for several hours, they were informed shortly before departure that they would not be allowed to board the flight.

Visa Rules Confusion

The outlet reported that the airline staff cited the absence of a Peruvian visa as the reason for denying them boarding. Sathishkumar, however, said that the airline failed to correctly interpret Peru’s entry requirements.

He said that Indian passport holders who possess valid visas or residence permits from countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia or those within the Schengen area are eligible to enter Peru without obtaining a separate Peruvian visa.

The issue did not end at the boarding gate. The family was allegedly “red-flagged” by the airline after they protested the decision and indicated they may take legal action, the family said.

Sathishkumar claimed this led to further trouble during later international trips. He said his son was stopped in Singapore and questioned about a supposed deportation from Peru, a country he had never visited. He also alleged that he faced similar scrutiny while travelling to Australia, where he was repeatedly questioned about the same issue.