The reason for detaining Indian passport holders in the airport is because they did not even have transit visas and it being a week-end and the french being as bureaucratic as indians,it would have taken almost a whole day for them to arrange the visas and by the time the transit visa is granted, your next flight would have been ready to depart. This delay is more to due to pig headed bureaucracy than racism. There is also the language barrier. Though the french can string a few sentences in english, to the average indian that french accented english would sound bizzare. Try speaking to them in french and they melt before you. I've tried this and know the difference. Also you can't blame the french for being wary in letting indians or pakistanis into their country. Visit the tourist spots in paris and you will find indians mostly from punjab who have entered their country illegally selling tourist baubles, after claiming political asylum.Finally,yes, air france is a rubbish airline.

It is very sad that the passengers were subjected to this kind of behaviour by the authorities of Air France.It brings up a major question that demands an answer. y do we as Indians need to face this everywhere across the globe.We are among one of the developing nations and contributing to the world economy as much.However, the sitation still remains the same on the ground level.Unless we stop the discrimination within us others would continue doing so.

we need to understand why indian passengers are not treated well by Air France. Air France knows well by deliberately doing such things they would lose business at the end of the day.There should be self boycott by passengers not to board the airlines in future. It is no use crying over the split milk.but compel the Air France to do re-thinking on the whole matter. It is true if you donot have a visa to visit a country you cannot simply be put up in the particular country. In fact ,the two countries should sit to find solutions to such situations for future course.France is a friendly country ,and Iam sure and confident if ministry of external affairs takes the matter with French Authorities ,the matter can be resolvedBrij krishan kaul

there was no racism.People without a visa to that country cannot be allowed out of the airport.Americans do not need a visa.Simple.And another point.How many domestic airlines in India have treated you any better in your own country ? Can you raise a hue and cry in your country.We are third rate citizens in our country.How can we expect others to treat us better.Accept your karma that you were born Indian and move on.

Mr Traveller, you probably never ever traveled in a flight in your life. Whenever such a situation occurs, the airline is supposed to arrange a transit VISA for the passengers. So sock it up and accept it as racial profiling!!

Pardon my saying so but as a foreigner living in India for several years, I have experienced on countless occasions similar or worse racial treatment in India itself. It is unfair what Air France did but it seems to me that if India should want fair treatment abroad they should provide the same to foreign travelers within their own borders. Racism is a global problem to large for any single political body to resolve. Mr. N Guru stated in a previous comment that "Indian's must stick together". While we can all appreciate this relatively naive sentiment... this is itself creating racial issues. We has humans need to stand up for one another regardless of race, religion or virtue. The phrase "Indian's need to stick together" is similar to Hitler's propaganda when provoking his own Countrymen to slaughter the Jews. We need less "sticking together" and more opening up. Get unstuck. Socialize with people outside of your culture. Racism is ignorance - Do your part to educate and we can win.

Any racial discrimination is despicable and must be condemned. However, one should be careful before making such allegations. Were there any Indian origin (brown) US passport holders who "were given transit visas, provided accommodation and taken care of"? If so, then it cannot be described as 'racial' discrimination. One must also remember that there is a reciprocal visa waiver arrangement between the US and France. This means no visa is required for stay up to three months - as long as certain criteria are satisfied. If Indian origin US passport holders were denied proper overnight accommodation then it is a matter for the US authorities to take it up with the French.

If Indians need a visa to leave the airport, how can the airline help?Indians with US passports were allowed to leave the airport, so how is this racism?How hard is it to understand that?Also, there are cafeterias and restaurants at the airport. These people could have bought coffee or food at any one of those.Stop playing victim.

IT'S SIMPLE - DO FLY VIA PARIS

The solution is simple send this news item through chain email and send SMS messages to your friends not to travel by Air France. Boycot their flights even for going to France. Airport authorities or ministers cannot do anything officially. We need to take action ourselves. I have already sent this news items to my friends.

Sir Why of all the people, Indians are becoming the targets of discrimination all around the world. Do the apologies which the Air France offers after each event mean any thing? The same is true in Australia where Indian students are increasingly becoming targets of racial attacks. Is the world getting jealous of the progress and dynamism of the country or there is something wrong in our foreign policy? Whatever situation may be, the suffereres are the people of the country. Is our foreign office listening?

I think all indians should boycott Air France flights. Indians have to stick together rather than pretend that nothing is wrong. This episode will soon be pushed under the rug and forgotten. The Indian goverment should be asked to take up this case with the french goverment and charges against the company should to be filed in the european courts. The people of India need their goverment now. This is not surprising, companies do resort to this kind of discrimination when they feel they can get away with it. Imagine the ruckus that would have been created if an american or a french man was discriminated against!!!!

Indians are still being treated as a third class citizens. For this incident to occur in France and American citizens being given a priority treatment shows we should wake up and unite. Just BOYCOT the airline in question. Never fly with them. Do you have guts to do that??!!

Indians need visas to enter France: French people need visas to enter India. If these Indian travellers did not have French visas then there is no surprise that they were not permitted to leave the airport. American people do not need French visas, and French people do not need American visas. This is not racial profiling. It is Indians attempting to enter a foreign country without holding the necessary visas.

Hello All,Why dont we Indians boycot this airline.I will take a pledge that I will not fly airfrance any more.Lets do it guys.

I travel quite a lot and sometimes i have to agree that these kind of things happen. I can understand when people with a business class ticket or with a special card get first access but to be given preference based on what passport you hold is nothing but Racism. Sometimes people feel that we are complaining unnecessairly but if you are in that situation you will feel terrible. I have also noticed that on most flights people with 'white' skins are usually given a lot more preference over other people.

Clearly these repeated issues indicate what Air France thinks of Indians. For money they'll come begging to Indians as Indians are high fliers and spenders but when it is service they are inconsiderate. Clearly we should all stop flying Air France.

Next time fly Air India / Indian. Hit where it hurts the most, economics.Amitabh

These people deserve. Most of European and some high headed gulf nations airlines treat Indians like dirt. Still our shameless Indians glorify those airlines. These carriers only have smart, fair looking dumb personnel. Our shameless Indians do not stop degrading our own National Carrier Staff. These Indians who travel by European and a Middle East Carrier are treated shabbily which goes unreported. Glorify and Patronize our National Carriers and Travel by Air India. JAI HO...!

Discrimination is not new. Some Indians protest but some indians just extend tolerance, which is part of Indian Culture. I was subject to one such racial discrimination in EK when I was travelling in the Far-East Sector. I made a big protest in the flight and also after returning back to DXB (where i was employed at that time) I sent emails to EK customer support officials. They said they would do an inquiry on this issue and kept on sending email every fortnight telling me that they are still in the process of inquiry. After almost 2 months, one top official sent an email saying that they were really sorry for it but never did he commit or comment on their findings. It is just a way of avoiding the escalation of my complaint. People in many countries are unable to withstand the growth of Indians and many airlines staff and cabin crew just cannot digest this as well. They only know India as a poor country and think that any Indian on their plane is illiterate and uncultured.

If you get discriminated then why fly Air France.. Just dont fly Air France . Educate all those who travel overseas not to travel by Air France. The present recession will kill the Airline if it does not mend its service and attitude. You have lots of choices so dump Air France for good.

The best way to teach Air France is for Indians to stop flying in it. The French are usually arrogant and do not care for other nationalities even in Europe. The staff at Indian airports must show their disgust and try to be aloof and uncopoperativee as far as Air France is concerned. Indians just should ignore the French airline staff both when they are in India. Follow Gandhi's teaching of non-cooperation

Air France is Air Farce

I guess the best answer to the insensitive thick skinned white MNC called Air France would be to shun using Air France as the mode of Transport, Let them realize the mistake.United We Stand,Shubh

This is human nature.When we depend on others for living, technology, social esteem, it comes with a price tag. Everywhere we are discriminated. So, we should learn to live with that or MAKE INDIA STRONG enough that no Indian aspire for foreign shore for livelihood and living(it should be ok for tourism). Second point, descrimination is in India also. This should be no news to us. Scheduled Caste people are still barred to enter few temples in Tamilnadu. Biharis are often discussed for bad reasons and the good Bihari News are supressed. The list will be long...The zist is that, descrimination is everywhere. We must not cry over it...But TRY to NOT let it happen at ourlevel at least.