“Passengers Allege Distress on Air India Flight Due to Delay: No Food, Restless Children”.

Passengers on an Air India flight faced six hours of distress inside the aircraft, leading to frustration and anger. This situation arose as several airlines canceled numerous flights in Delhi due to low visibility. Rifka Verma, a passenger, shared her experience, highlighting several factors that tested the patience of those on board – restless children, lack of food, and malfunctioning air-conditioning.

The scheduled take-off time for the flight was 9 am, but due to adverse weather conditions, delays were anticipated. However, according to Ms. Verma, conflicting information about the departure time added to the frustration. After 2 pm, when the aircraft was ready, passengers were informed that the crew assigned to the flight had been reassigned to another one.

Ms. Verma described the situation as chaotic. The crew was finally available by 5.30 pm, and boarding commenced around 8 pm. However, even after boarding, there was no pilot available. Ms. Verma emphasized that the blame does not lie with the ground staff or crew but with the management or, more aptly, mismanagement. Additionally, she mentioned the lack of food, with only packets of chips available during the 17-hour ordeal.

Expressing her dissatisfaction, Ms. Verma accused the airline of not valuing its customers and failing to keep them adequately informed. The incident contributed to a breakdown in smooth coordination at Delhi airport, as frustrated passengers of delayed flights sought answers from the airlines. In another alarming incident, a passenger on an IndiGo flight attacked a pilot while the aircraft was on the tarmac.

In response, Air India issued a statement expressing regret for the disruption caused by dense fog in north India, particularly at the main Delhi hub. The statement acknowledged diversions and desynchronization of aircraft and crew rotations, with efforts underway to restore schedules. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed the unprecedented fog situation in Delhi and emphasized the priority of passenger safety. He noted the temporary shutdown of operations on CAT III runways due to zero-visibility conditions and assured steps to avoid similar circumstances in the future.

Author: Bharattimes@1