Opposition Leader’s missed flight; Kerala House protocol officer faces suspension 

NEW DELHI: A major administrative row has erupted following a travel mishap involving Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan, who missed his home-bound flight from Delhi on Saturday. The incident has prompted Kerala House Assistant Resident Commissioner Aswathy Srinivas to recommend the suspension of Protocol Officer R. Sreekumar for operational negligence. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has ordered a formal investigation into the matter, with the Chief Minister’s Office demanding an immediate explanation from the Kerala House Protocol Department.

The incident occurred at Delhi International Airport’s Terminal 2, where the Opposition Leader was scheduled to board a 2:50 PM Indigo flight to Kozhikode after attending a CPM Politburo meeting. Reliable sources indicate that Pinarayi Vijayan and his secretary were resting in the VIP lounge and were only alerted to the aircraft’s departure preparations at the final moments. By the time they reached the boarding gate, the aircraft had already taxied out.

While the Kerala House Protocol Department had formally notified Indigo of the Opposition Leader's presence, airline representatives did not provide a personal boarding alert. Bureaucratic norms typically dictate that airlines personally notify top dignitaries like Governors and Chief Ministers in the lounge. However, as Indigo operates as a private carrier, it did not extend this personalised courtesy to the Leader of the Opposition, relying instead on standard airport announcements. Although Pinarayi Vijayan’s aides attempted to rush him to the gate upon hearing the page, they were too late. The opposition leader was subsequently rerouted on a 7:15 PM flight to Kannur.

Senior officials have pinned the blame on internal protocol lapses, noting that the assigned protocol officer failed to actively monitor the boarding timelines and intervene appropriately. Despite the looming disciplinary action, sources close to Pinarayi Vijayan indicate that he does not wish to pursue the matter. The Opposition Leader has not filed an official complaint and is reportedly planning to advise the state government against penalizing the protocol staff.