Kannur (Kerala) | Senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan on Sunday said he had realised long ago that IndiGo Airlines was “not heading in the right direction.”

He was reacting to the current disruptions in flights operations of the carrier.

Jayarajan was given a three-week flying ban by IndiGo after a scuffle with Congress workers inside a flight in which he and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were travelling in July 2022.

Following the incident, Jayarajan had publicly stated that he would no longer travel on IndiGo flights.

“Long back, I realised that the company was not heading in the right direction because of the stand they took against me. Some Congress leaders in Delhi colluded with IndiGo, and a travel ban was imposed on me,” he told a news channel here.

He said despite his stand against the airline, he had to take an IndiGo flight to New Delhi when CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury passed away in 2024.

Accusing the Centre of inaction, Jayarajan said the BJP-led government in the Centre was answerable for the ongoing issues with IndiGo.

“Not just flight cancellations, they are charging prices higher than what authorities permit. It is a case of harvesting during peak season for them. The aviation ministry has not taken any action,” he alleged.

Jayarajan said he still stands by his view on IndiGo as he was punished for protecting the Chief Minister.

“Actually, they should have given me an award. Instead, they protected the perpetrators,” he said.

Asked about his most recent trip on IndiGo, Jayarajan said he flew to Thiruvananthapuram on one of their flights last month.

He urged the Union government and the aviation ministry to intervene and take appropriate action.

As a message to IndiGo, he said, was to “correct their conduct and provide fair service.”

“They should prioritise the public and drop the policy of doing anything for greed for money,” he added.