Immigration officials at Frankfurt on August 19 detained an Air India (AI) hostess and 45 cabin crew members.

The airhostess from Mumbai, accused of shoplifting, and the others were let off after the airlines manager paid 850euros. Six months ago the airhostess stole a bottle of perfume from a duty free shop at Frankfurt airport. But she was caught and asked to pay up 70euros. One of the cabin crew said she gave a written undertaking to the shop owner that she would pay up during her next visit.

"The shop owner gave the undertaking to immigration authorities asking them to recover the money whenever she returned," he said. And the immigration officials updated the information and her passport details in their computer system.

Though the airhostess flew to Frankfurt many times, she was never caught because crew members were allowed to enter Germany by showing their DGCA certificates or their identity cards. And that was till last month. Immigration officials started checking passports from August 1. When she gave her passport for checking on August 19,the system showed the undertaking.

As she had avoided paying the money, the authorities fined her 850euros. She and the other crew were detained for more than four hours. Only after the manager paid up, everyone was allowed to go.

A spokesperson of the airline admitted that the fine had been paid but refused to go into the details. Two days before this incident, two Air India crew members from Delhi were caught shoplifting in Frankfurt.
Source : DNA