Family spends £40,000 on business-class flights to Peru before being denied boarding by KLM

Court directs police to take criminal action against staff of Netherlands’ flag carrier
A court in India has directed the police to file a criminal case against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines after a two-year legal battle by a family that spent nearly £40,000 on business-class tickets to Peru but was denied boarding by Netherlands ’ flag carrier.

The case dates back to June 2024, when the family of J S Sathishkumar, chairman of a medical institution in the southern state of Tamil Nadu , had purchased eight two-way business-class tickets to Peru, costing around Rs 4.9m (£40,000).

They were scheduled to depart from the southern city of Bengaluru on 19 June and return on 3 July.

However, their plans for the 14-day holiday were cut short at the airport after the family was denied boarding .

Airline officials said they did not have the appropriate visa to enter Peru, and after several hours of waiting they were told they would not be permitted to take the flight,
Mr Sathishkumar disputed the airline’s assessment, arguing that it was based on a misreading of entry rules.

He said Indian nationals holding valid visas or residency permits from countries such as the US, UK, Australia or Schengen states are permitted to enter Peru without a separate visa.

A spokesperson for KLM told The New Indian Express that the airline was “obliged to comply with all applicable travel regulations”.

The airline reportedly urged customers to make sure they carry the required documentation and said it “regrets that some passengers experienced inconveniences”.

While held up at the airport, the family protested the decision not to let them board and threatened legal action.

Mr Sathishkumar alleged they were then “red-flagged” by the airline following the confrontation.

He said the family has since faced heightened scrutiny at international airports.

He alleged that his son was questioned in Singapore over a supposed “deportation from Peru”, a country he had never visited.

He said he himself encountered similar issues during a trip to Australia.

He later filed a case against the airline in a court in the southern state of Karnataka to demand a refund of the ticket price.

The court in Karnataka has now ordered the police to register a criminal case against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines after a two-year legal battle.

In its order, the magistrate directed the police to register a formal complaint against the airline’s chief executive officer, chief operating officer, and other senior executives involved in the decision, and to proceed in accordance with the law.

Mr Sathishkumar said the court’s intervention was aimed at ensuring accountability.

“Action should be taken.

Otherwise, this can happen to anyone,” he told The New Indian Express .

The Independent has reached out to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for comment.

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