Commotion at airport over delay in Air-India flight

Commotion at airport over delay in Air-India flight

A Correspondent

Closure of Mumbai airport leads to the problem

NEDUMBASSERY: Commotion prevailed at the Cochin International Airport here on Saturday as passengers bound for Dammam by an Air-India flight protested against the delay in operating the service.

Under the original schedule, the flight was to have arrived here on Thursday for departure. However, the service could not be operated as the Mumbai airport was shut following heavy rain.

On Saturday, nearly 300 passengers, including those from Kozhikode, arrived at the airport after Air-India informed them that the flight would be depart at 2 p.m.

However, on arrival, they were informed that the flight had not yet come as the operation of the Mumbai airport was disrupted as an aircraft skidded off the runway and got stuck in soft ground. Agitated passengers picked up a quarrel with airline authorities and demanded the operation of the service at any cost.

They alleged that the airline was keeping them in the dark about the service.

Meanwhile, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala arrived at the airport on his way to Kozhikode, and the passengers gathered around him and complained to him.

Mr. Chennithala called up Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel and Air-India Managing Director V. Thulasidas and brought the matter to their attention.

Later, he assured the passengers that the service would be operated at night, and asked the authorities concerned to provide them food and other facilities. He left for Kozhikode.

Some passengers complained that the validity of their visas had expired on account of the unexpected delay and their jobs were on the line.

More services affected


Meanwhile, domestic and international services via Mumbai from here were affected by the mishap at Mumbai airport involving an Air-India Boeing 747-400 aircraft from Bangalore.

Jet Airways cancelled one of its three services in the Mumbai-Kochi-Mumbai sector, while the other two were delayed by hours.

Indian Airlines' flight from Delhi skipped Mumbai and arrived here hours behind schedule and returned via Thiruvananthapuram. International services of Indian Airlines and Air-India were also behind schedule.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/31/stories/2005073117120300.htm