IndiGo, Air India suspends stand-up comedian from flying over offensive behaviour

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra was suspended by Indigo for six months after he allegedly heckled journalist Arnab Goswami aboard one of its planes. Air India also followed suit and suspended the comedian from flying on any Air India flight until further notice.

New Delhi: IndiGo and Air India on Tuesday suspended stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra from flying with the private airline for six months after he allegedly heckled journalist Arnab Goswami aboard one of its planes from Mumbai to Lucknow.

"In light of the recent incident on board 6E 5317 from Mumbai to Lucknow, we wish to inform that we are suspending Mr Kunal Kamra from flying with IndiGo for a period of six months, as his conduct onboard was unacceptable behaviour," the airline said in a tweet.

"Hereby, we wish to advise our passengers to refrain from indulging in personal slander whilst onboard, as this can potentially compromise the safety of fellow passengers," it added.

Meanwhile, the national carrier Air India soon followed suit by suspending the stand-up artist until further notice.

"Offensive behaviour designed to provoke and create disturbance inside aircraft is absolutely unacceptable and endangers safety of air travellers.We're left with no option but to advise other airlines to impose similar restrictions on person concerned," MoS Civil Aviation, hardeep Singh Puri said.

Kamra allegedly heckled Goswami, the editor of Republic TV, on a Mumbai-Lucknow IndiGo plane on Tuesday. In a video clip posted by Kamra on Twitter, the stand-up comedian is seen asking Goswami if he is a "coward or a journalist".

With inputs from PTI