Kerala Strikers’ members offloaded from plane

IANS/Kochi

The team denied the charge.

In a statement issued in Kochi by the airline, it said that flight 6E-314 from Kochi to Hyderabad, scheduled to depart at 1pm, had to abort take-off and was taken to the bay as some passengers started misbehaving with the crew.

“As a result, the captain had to request the security staff to offload 30 passengers, along with their baggage. Initially the passengers resisted but eventually had to deplane as the other passengers on board requested the same. We are facilitating the rebooking process for these passengers on the next available flight,” the airline said.

The flight eventually took off from Kochi at 2.33pm and landed at Hyderabad at 3.44pm said the airline statement.

Kerala Strikers represent the Malayalam film actors.

Speaking to the media on the episode, team captain Rajeev Pillai gave his version of the incident.

“Soon after the airhostess finished her demonstration, there was some clapping and whistling. This angered not the airhostess who did the demonstration, but the one standing behind her. She then complained to the captain. The captain then asked all of us to get off the plane and we came out,” he said.

Meanwhile, a Kochi airport official said that the team was at the airport waiting to catch the next available flight as their next match is scheduled in Hyderabad for today.

The 30-member group included the team, its support staff and two women actors too.