Didn't Delay Flight with Retail Therapy, Fumes Congress' Renuka Chowdhury

Parliamentarian Renuka Chowdhury has denied reports that her shopping spree at the Delhi airport forced a 45-minute delay for the Air India flight she was meant to board on Friday to Hyderabad. She told NDTV today that she will meet Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapthy Raju to protest the Air India version of events, and if the airline cannot prove its allegation, she will demand action against the official who said her retail therapy inconvenienced many other passengers.

Air India sources said yesterday that Ms Chowdhury,  who is a Congress member of the Rajya Sabha, showed up late to board the flight on Friday despite repeated announcements by the airline's staff.  By the time she arrived at the gate, the pilot had reportedly missed his place in the line for departures on the runway. 

"What stopped them from leaving the passenger and taking off?" Ms Chowdhury said to NDTV.  But airline officials said she could not be left behind because her luggage had been boarded on the plane. For security reasons, flights can't carry unaccompanied baggage. The airline has begun an investigation into the incident, said sources.

Ms Choudhury told NDTV today that she was not shopping and did not hear herself being paged. She said she was late to the gate because she had requested a buggy to drive her because she has a knee problem. "How did they say I was shopping ? Air India now has to prove that I was shopping or else I will take action," she fumed.