DELILAH GORE DISMISSES CLAIMS

The Higher Education Minister, Delilah Gore dismissed claims laid against her for breaching aviation laws.

Delilah Gore came under a tidal wave of public criticism  when she made headlines in one of the daily papers after she refused to switch off her mobile phone during an Air Niugini commercial flight from Popondetta on Wednesday.

Minister Gore says her altercation with the flight attendant was not a big issue as stated in the papers and the social media networking service, Facebook.

She says she holds no grudges against Air Niugini and that the incident was sensationalism on the part of the media organisation.

The Post Courier reported the Sohe MP was still on her phone after the safety demonstration was completed and appeared to ignore repeated calls for her to switch off her device.

A female flight attendant then approached her again to ask her to switch off her phone but she refused, allegedly shouting “do you know who I am.”

The paper further reports on the pilot who, upon hearing the commotion in the background, stopped the aircraft and returned to the tarmac where the MP was asked to leave the aircraft for allegedly breaching aviation regulations.

Air Niugini confirmed the incident and advised it was normal industry practice for mobile phones to be switched off for the safety of all passengers, as they could interfere with the aircraft's electronic system.