A passenger unable to buy an in-flight meal on an international IndiGo flight has made an official police complaint against the airline.
IndiGo’s policy not to accept Indian rupees on international flights ‘disrespected’ the national currency, said Pramod Kumar Jain.
"I placed the order but the crew refused to accept the payment in the rupee… IndiGo is an Indian company and I too am an Indian," Jain said in the police complaint filed in New Delhi.
Jain said he made ‘repeated requests’ and another passenger was also refused.
The airline maintains it is not being inflexible and only following current regulations in the Foreign Exchange Management Act.
"IndiGo does not accept INR for on-board sales on its international flights in accordance with the prevailing FEMA regulations and this is clearly mentioned in our on-board sales menu," an airline spokesperson said.
"We filed a request for carrying on-board sales in Indian currency notes above Rs 25,000 with the Royal Bank of India on February 2014 and June 2014. We are in active discussions with the authorities concerned in this regard."
