All airlines lift ban, allow Shiv Sena Ravindra Gaikwad on board

New Delhi : In a major relief to Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, all airlines have lifted ban on him, allowing him to book a ticket and board flight as per his convenience.

On Friday, Air India had lifted ban from him.

According to Air India, the ban was lifted after the Civil Aviation Ministry wrote to the airline, a day after Gaikwad expressed "regrets" in the Lok Sabha over the March 23 incident.

"Ministry of Civil Aviation has today directed us to lift the ban in view of the apology tendered by Mr. Gaikwad to the Hon'ble Minister of Civil Aviation. The ban placed by Air India on Mr. Gaikwad has, therefore, been lifted with immediate effect," the airline said in a statement.

"Air India, however, remains committed to ensure that its employees are not assaulted and neither misbehaved with by any passenger and would always take strong action to preserve the dignity of its employees at all times."

Since the ban, Gaikwad has been compelled to travel by train or by road depending on his engagements, keeping away from the media glare.

The airline's unions too supported the company and its Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani.