A pregnant woman has spoken out about a disturbing incident on a British Airways flight where a fellow passenger threatened to punch her in the face. Parul Patel, 35, who was 11 weeks pregnant at the time, was travelling back to London from Amsterdam with her partner, Dhiren Raghvani, when she says she was assaulted by another passenger while waiting to disembark the plane. The altercation began when the man accused Parul of pushing in front of him, leading to him aggressively shoving her and issuing the threat.
Parul, a business analyst from Watford, Hertfordshire, felt frightened and approached a staff member for help. Despite the severity of the situation, she was offered a bottle of champagne as an apology, which she found inadequate given the circumstances. The incident left Parul feeling shaken and fearful, especially after encountering the same man again in the arrivals hall, where he continued to verbally abuse her and her partner.
Having reported the assault to airline staff and later following up with the airline, Parul was disappointed by the response she received. The airline offered her a £50 voucher, which she felt was insufficient given the seriousness of the incident. Despite feeling threatened and assaulted, Parul claimed that the police said they were unable to take further action as they did not witness the man physically harming her.
Feeling distressed and vulnerable after the incident, Parul expressed her concerns about her safety and the lack of appropriate support she received. She highlighted the emotional toll the experience had taken on her, stating that she struggled to sleep in the days following the incident and now felt reluctant to confront anyone in the future. Parul emphasised that her primary concern was not about compensation but rather about addressing the assault she experienced.
British Airways responded by stating that they do not tolerate abuse towards their customers or staff and that the incident had been reported to the police. However, the Metropolitan Police explained that after assessing the available information and speaking to witnesses, they decided not to investigate further. This decision left Parul feeling disillusioned and that her experience was not taken seriously enough by the authorities.
The ordeal has had a lasting impact on Parul, who described feeling like she was portrayed as the antagonist in the situation despite being the victim of threats and physical aggression. She underscored the need for airlines and authorities to take incidents of assault seriously and provide appropriate support to victims. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of all passengers during air travel.