Shilpa alleges racism at Sydney Airport, says we are not pushovers

Shilpa Shetty faced racism while boarding a plane for Melbourne from Sydney. She took to Instagram to share the ordeal with a Qantas Airways lady staff member over a cabin luggage, which was deemed as 'oversized' at the check-in counter

Shilpa Shetty Kundra, who dealt with racism in 2007 when she was a contestant on the fifth season of the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother, which she went on to win, faced racism yet again, this time at Sydney Airport. The actress on Sunday alleged that she faced an unpleasant experience for being 'brown' at the Sydney airport over her cabin luggage. Upset by an official who was curt, she says people's tone must not change with preference to colour.

Shilpa took to Instagram to share the ordeal with a Qantas Airways lady staff member over a cabin luggage, which was deemed as 'oversized' at the check-in counter.

A furious Shilpa wrote, "At the check-in counter, met a grumpy Mel (that's her name) who decided it was 'okay' to speak curtly to 'us' (brown people!) travelling together. I was flying business and had 2 bags (my allowance) and she insisted and decided my half empty duffel bag was oversized (to check-in), so she sent us to check it in at the other counter dealing with 'oversized luggage'.

 

 

 

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Subject: #Qantas airways @qantas This should get your attention! Travelling from Sydney to Melbourne and at the check in counter met a grumpy #Mel ( that’s her name)who decided it was “OK” to speak curtly to “US” ( Brown people!!) travelling together ,I was flying business and had 2 bags (my allowance)and she insisted and decided my half empty Duffel bag was oversized( to check in!!) So she sent us to check it in at the other counter dealing with “Oversized luggage” ..there a Polite lady(yes this one was) said ..”this ISN’T an oversized bag, pls check this in manually if u can at another counter” ( all this happening while the counter is going to shut in 5 mins) As the manual check in wasn’t going thru for 5 mins( we tried) I went upto #Mel and requested her to put the bag thru as her colleague said it wasn’t an oversized bag.. She refused again.. Just being adamant especially when I told her this is causing a lot of inconvenience .. We had no time to waste so we ran to the oversized baggage counter and requested her to put the bag through which she did after I told her that #Rude #Mel had issues !!!.... to which another colleague joined in an reiterated my duffle wasn’t oversized and could’ve easily been checked in. The point is .. This piece is only for #quantas airlines to know and take cognisance .. that their staff must be taught to be helpful and TONE can’t change with preference to #COLOUR .”WE” are NOT #pushovers and they MUST know that being #callous and #Rude will NOT BE TOLERATED ðÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u009fÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u0099ÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u008fâÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u009cÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u008bðÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u009fÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u008f¼ðÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u009fÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u0092ÂÂÂÂÂu00c2u0094. Ps: Please tell me if that bag in the picture is oversized??!! @australia @visitmelbourne @travel #truthmustbetold #bemused #uncalledfor #standup #equality #whatswrongisnotright #instapic #travelwoes #shocking #nightmare #notcool

A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) onSep 22, 2018 at 6:37pm PDT

"There a polite lady (yes this one was) said, 'This is not an oversized bag, please check this in manually if you can at another counter' (all this happening while the counter is going to shut in five minutes). As the manual check-in wasn't going through for five minutes (we tried), I went upto Mel and requested her to put the bag through as her colleague said it wasn't an oversized bag. She refused again... Just being adamant especially when I told her this is causing a lot of inconvenience."

"We had no time to waste so we ran to the oversized baggage counter and requested her to put the bag through which she did after I told her that rude Mel had issues! To which another colleague joined in and reiterated my duffle wasn't oversized and could've easily been checked in."

Shilpa said her intention to narrate her experience is to make Qantas Airways take cognisance of the matter. "Their staff must be taught to be helpful and tone can't change with preference to colour. 'We' are not pushovers and they must know that being callous and rude will not be tolerated," she added.

Along with the note, Shilpa also posted a picture of her bag and asked her followers "whether it is oversized or not".

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Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS

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