Air India leaves TT team stranded at Delhi airport

New Delhi, July 22 

India's table tennis star Manika Batra and six other paddlers were stranded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport after being denied boarding on a Melbourne flight by the national carrier Air India en route an international event. 

The Indian contingent, comprising 17 players and officials, is scheduled to participate at the ITTF World Tour Australian Open starting tomorrow in Melbourne.

But to their disbelief, only 10 members of the team were allowed after Air India informed them that the flight was overbooked. Besides Manika, veteran Mouma Das was also one of the seven players, who were denied boarding.

Manika took to social media to share her ordeal and asked Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Prime Minister's Office to look into the matter. “A contingent of 17 players and officials of the Indian table tennis team including Commonwealth Games medallist myself, Sharath Kamal, Mouma Das, Madhurika, Harmeet, Suthirta, Sathyan were supposed to fly to Melbourne by AI 0308 to participate in the ITTF World Tour Australian Open beginning tommorrow,” Manika tweeted.

“On reaching the Air India counter we were told that the flight is overbooked and only 10 members of the team can fly, which left us in a shock. Seven of us are stranded. All the tickets were booked by Balmer Lawrie,” she added.

Sports India Director General Neelam Kapur later sorted out the matter. “The TT team has been booked on an alternate flight leaving later tonight,” Kapur confirmed. Air India spokesperson was unavailable for a comment. — PTI