Aspiring pilot alleges fraud by Delhi-based aviation services agency

Flights of fantasy end in nightmare

Aspiring pilot alleges fraud by Delhi-based aviation services agency

Mathai Cherian (58) says he always had just one dream - to see his son fly. For that, he piled up all his resources and sent the 23-year-old for commercial pilot's training at an institute in Manila, Philippines. But his fantasy was soon hit by rough weather.

Ron Cherian, son of Mathai, an NRI and an engineer with an oil firm in Iraq, took admission in Aeroflite Aviation Corporation (AAC), Manila in October 2008 through a Gurgaon-based agency, Suparsa Aviation Services. Things were fine for the next four months but all of a sudden the situation took a turn for the worse. "It was probably in January 2008, when I was told by AAC that they have not got the full amount of my fee and won't let me continue if it is not deposited," said Ron Cherian.

Cherian claimed the agency had promised him a total of 200 Flying hours (180 hrs on single engine and 20 hrs on Multi-engine Flights and 20 hrs on Simulator). The course duration was eight months.u00a0
As part of training fees for receiving Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), Cherian had to pay a total of Rs 15 lakh apart from other expenses incurred during Pre-Flying phase, paid initially at the time of admission towards class room session and admission fees amounting to Rs 2 lakh.u00a0

The family claim, they took a loan against their ancestral property in Kollam district in Kerala and withdrew all their investments. They paid the fee in three installments as advised by Suparsa Aviation Agency.

"I was told by AAC that they received only $9,187.44 from Suparsa Aviation Services and a balance of amount of $23,000 was yet to be paid. I contacted my family, and they got in touch with the agency but all our efforts went in vain. The agency promised that everything would be sorted out. But AAC did not allow me to attend classes. I borrowed money from a friend and came back in May 2009," Cherian alleged.

"Since then I have visited Suparsa's offices in Delhi and Gurgaon several times, without much success. In March 2010, I filed a police case of cheating with the Gurgaon police. However, so far nothing has been done," he said.

Gurgaon police commissioner, SS Deswal could not be contacted for comments. Also, President and Chief Executive Officer, AAC, Capt. Arnel U Miguel, did not respond to email queries from MiD DAY.