Vistara imposes travel ban on comedian Kunal Kamra till April 27

New Delhi: Full-service carrier Vistara on Friday (March 13) barred stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra from flying till April 27. The decision to this effect was taken after investigation of the internal committee of Indigo concluded. A flying ban on Kamra was imposed on January 28 this year for heckling journalist Arnab Goswami on a flight.

According to Vistara spokesperson, "Based on the Order passed by an internal committee constituted by InterGlobe Aviation Ltd. in compliance with the respective CAR and following due process, we have placed the passenger on our no-fly list until 27 April 2020."

On January 28, the stand-up comedian was banned by IndiGo from flying with the airline for six months for allegedly heckling journalist Arnab Goswami. Kamra had posted a video of him confronting senior Goswami, with whom he shared an IndiGo flight to Lucknow on January 28.

Soon after IndiGo's ban, other carriers including Air India, GoAir and SpiceJet also announced travel restrictions on the comedian. Notably, Vistara had not banned him from travelling in its flight.

On February 27, Kunal Kamra failed to respite from the Delhi High Court, as it disposed of his plea against flying ban imposed on him by several airlines. The single judge HC bench of Justice Navin Chawla had directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to decide Kamra's representation within eight weeks.

Kamra had filed the representation before the DGCA on February 20, prior to approaching the High Court. 

He pleaded that the travel ban imposed on him was in violation of the Civil Aviation Rules, while contending that punishment was imposed without following due process, as no Internal Committee was formed and no complaint was made in accordance with the law.