An Indian family's £70,000 dream holiday to Peru ended at an airport check-in counter, where KLM staff allegedly tore up their boarding passes and walked away. The incident, which occurred on 19 June 2024, has led to a two-year legal battle, culminating in an Indian court ordering a criminal case against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
JS Sathishkumar, 53, a businessman from Tamil Nadu, had planned a 14-day trip to celebrate his daughter-in-law's birthday. The family of eight, including an infant, spent around £38,000 on return business-class flights and booked hotels, a heritage train to Machu Picchu, and an Amazon rainforest experience. They drove nearly 200km from Salem to Bengaluru airport, only to be denied boarding after a four-hour wait.
The dispute centres on Peruvian visa exemptions. The family did not obtain Peruvian visas, believing they qualified under an exemption for holders of visas with a validity of at least six months for the US, Canada, Australia, UK, or Schengen area. Sathishkumar insists each family member held valid US, Australian, or Schengen visas. However, KLM staff deemed their documents insufficient, tearing up boarding passes and removing baggage tags minutes before departure.
Sathishkumar attempted to file a police complaint but was asked for further proof. After months of trying, he approached a court in Devanahalli in December 2024, lodging a case against KLM. He claims the family's passports, including that of his toddler granddaughter, were later cancelled, causing further distress.
KLM confirmed the incident is being investigated internally. The Peruvian embassy in Delhi stated that Indian nationals generally require a visa, with exemptions for holders of valid visas or residency permits for certain countries. The court's decision to open a criminal case marks a significant step in the family's pursuit of justice.
