We need such MPs! This lawmaker said no to VIP treatment by airline - Know what happened

New Delhi: That VIPs (very important persons) love VIP treatment is an accepted fact! But, that some VIPs do not want VIP treatment is rare.

This was exemplified by Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha of the Congress when he wrote to SpiceJet management complaining about the special treatment given to him.

Tankha was flying to Delhi from Jabalpur on a SpiceJet flight when the incident happened.

NDTV quoted Tankha as saying that when he and another MP boarded an airline transit bus, the staff "abruptly shut" the doors and did not let other passengers in.

"The three of us were exclusively ferried," the MP said, describing the incident as "extremely embarrassing".

"We are living in a democratic country where every person is equally respected and important," the MP said, as per the news channel.

He added that a parliamentarian "is like any other passenger" and should be treated at par with other passengers.

"As a concerned citizen I feel that there is no need to extend such extra courtesy to any Member of Parliament or any VVIP/VIP. As public representatives we should receive the same treatment as extended to other passengers. I found this extra courtesy extremely embarrassing. I immediately requested the ground staff not to extend such VIP treatment to us or anybody else," he said in his letter to the airline.

He further suggested the airline to discontinue "excessive courtesy with immediate effect for all VIPs (or at least to me) - barring if there are some very genuine or compelling security/health considerations."