Indian Doctor Claims Airline Staff Questioned Whether Family “Belonged” in Business Class
A doctor has alleged that he and his family faced humiliation and discriminatory treatment by airline staff after being questioned about whether they genuinely belonged in the business class section of a Vietnam Airlines flight.
The controversy surfaced after Dr. Abhay Daga shared a detailed account of the incident on social media platform X, calling the experience “blatant discrimination and humiliation” during his family’s journey from Hanoi to Delhi on May 11, 2026.
Doctor Says Staff Mocked Family at Aerobridge
According to Dr. Daga, he was travelling with his wife and child on Business Class flight VN981 from Hanoi to Delhi when the alleged incident took place at the aerobridge before boarding.
In his post, the doctor claimed that airline staff stopped the family and questioned whether they were actually supposed to board through the business class section.
He alleged that a staff member looked at them disrespectfully and remarked, “This is Business Class,” implying that they did not belong there.
Dr. Daga further claimed that when he responded saying he was aware, the staff member allegedly mocked him by replying, “Really?” and “Are you sure?”
“Profiled and Insulted in Front of My Child”
Expressing disappointment over the alleged conduct, the doctor stated that the employee’s role was simply to verify boarding passes, but instead he chose to “profile and insult” the family publicly.
According to the doctor, when he objected to the behaviour, the staff member allegedly refused to apologise and instead defended his actions by saying, “We need to make sure which passenger belongs where.”
Dr. Daga said the incident deeply affected his family, particularly his child, who questioned why the staff was speaking to them disrespectfully.
Doctor Demands Investigation, Formal Apology
Sharing his travel experience online, Dr. Daga noted that he had visited 37 countries and had never previously encountered such treatment from any airline.
Calling the incident discriminatory and unacceptable, he urged Vietnam Airlines to conduct an immediate investigation and issue a formal apology.
“Racism and humiliation have no place in aviation. DO BETTER,” he wrote in his post.
Social Media Reacts Strongly to Alleged Incident
The post quickly gained traction online, with several social media users criticising the alleged behaviour as discriminatory, class-driven, and offensive.
Many users stated that the most disturbing aspect of the incident was the assumption that an Indian family travelling in business class needed to justify their presence there.
Several commenters also called on airlines to ensure better sensitivity training for frontline staff and stricter action against discriminatory conduct involving passengers.
