IAF pilot’s parents get standing ovation in flight

New Delhi: The parents of Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman were given a standing ovation when they de-boarded an IndiGo Chennai-New Delhi flight here.

In videos uploaded on social media, the parents are seen alighting from the aircraft as co-passengers clapped and cheered them.

According to people in the knowledge of the incident, although the parents wished to travel without any fanfare, fellow passengers discovered their identity and voluntarily gave them the first right of de-boarding.

The 35-year-old Wing Commander was captured on February 27 by Pakistan after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down and crashed in Pakistani territory during a dogfight.

IANS