Bengaluru: Airline's rule leaves flyer, his pet fish in troubled waters

BENGALURU: A passenger, who was on an emergency trip to meet his mother in Srinagar recently, had a harrowing time at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) after an airline allegedly refused to let him carry his pet fish.
The bone of contention was the water containing the two-year-old fish, a Siamese fighter, measured above the permissible level of 100ml.
Aqib Hussain, a resident of Koramangala, had to fly to Srinagar via Delhi, leaving his pet with the airport authorities. Hussain, who accused the Air India staff of rude behaviour, said he chose the airline despite the fares being high only because it allowed carrying of live fish.
The 31-year-old digital marketing executive had booked the ticket for March 20 early morning after he came to know about his mother's illness on the night of March 19. Hussain didn't want to leave behind his pet fish, Joy. He couldn't find enough time to drop off his fish with a friend at night like he usually does before travel.
He checked in to fly via AI 0804 (Bengaluru to Delhi) after the ground staff initially cleared the orange-coloured fish weighing 20gm. As per rules, fish is permitted on board with final clearance from the flight captain. "I was heading for a pre-departure security check when I received a call on my cellphone from Air India staff asking me to return as they wanted to examine the fish. They weighed the transparent container and measured the fish but kept me on hold as the boarding time of 4.45am was nearing," Hussain said.
Hussain said he expressed his willingness to pay the fee to carry his tiny pet on board, but the staff allegedly turned rude when he demanded to speed up the process as his boarding time was getting closer. "An executive shouted that I shouldn't be permitted as I was talking too much. As I waited helplessly with Joy in my hand, they started spelling out rules that it should be cleared by the captain and my fish must undergo another round of checks before my flight changeover in Delhi. Instead of helping, they made my travel hell by forcing me into leaving behind Joy, which broke my heart," lamented Hussain on Friday who was under the impression that his pet had died at the airport.
Sources with Air India said the passenger was in violation of the rule regarding the quantity of the water.
"We tried explaining to him that the captain's clearance was final and that the water level in the box would not be cleared for flight. Even if it's cleared, he will need to undergo another round of checks in Delhi. But he was not willing to listen to us and remained hysterical," an officer added.
TOI reached out to Air India on Saturday regarding the fish, following which the pet was traced. The airport authorities handed over the pet to a relative of the passenger in the city on Sunday evening. The fish remains safe and healthy, and is expected to be reunited with Hussain next week when he returns from Srinagar.