A court in India has directed police to file a criminal case against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines following a two-year legal battle with a family that spent nearly £40,000 on business-class tickets to Peru but was denied boarding.
The case involves J S Sathishkumar, chairman of a medical institution in Tamil Nadu, who purchased eight return business-class tickets for a family holiday in June 2024. The tickets cost around Rs 4.9 million (£40,000). The family was scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Peru on 19 June and return on 3 July.
At the airport, KLM officials denied the family boarding, claiming they did not have the appropriate visa for Peru. Mr Sathishkumar disputed this, arguing that Indian nationals holding valid visas or residency permits from the US, UK, Australia, or Schengen states are permitted to enter Peru without a separate visa.
A KLM spokesperson said the airline was “obliged to comply with all applicable travel regulations” and urged customers to carry required documentation, adding that it “regrets that some passengers experienced inconveniences”. The family protested at the airport and threatened legal action. Mr Sathishkumar alleged they were then “red-flagged” by the airline, leading to heightened scrutiny at international airports, including his son being questioned in Singapore over a supposed “deportation from Peru”.
Mr Sathishkumar filed a case in a Karnataka court seeking a refund. The magistrate has now ordered police to register a formal complaint against KLM’s CEO, COO, and other senior executives involved, and to proceed according to law. Mr Sathishkumar said the court’s intervention was aimed at ensuring accountability: “Action should be taken. Otherwise, this can happen to anyone.”
