Protests Erupt at Kolkata Airport Over Delayed Air India Flight
Passenger Outrage at NSCBI Airport
Representational Image
Kolkata, Aug 12: On Wednesday morning, passengers at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport expressed their frustration following a significant delay of approximately six hours for an Air India Express flight bound for Chennai.
The flight was originally set to leave Kolkata at 6:30 a.m., carrying around 170 travelers.
Despite having received their boarding passes, the passengers were left waiting as a technical issue was identified before takeoff. Their frustration grew as they remained uninformed about the flight's status for several hours.
After a lengthy wait and mounting protests, the flight finally departed shortly after noon.
Passengers voiced their dissatisfaction, claiming they were not adequately informed about the technical difficulties, even after being issued boarding passes. They also criticized the lack of support or alternative arrangements from the authorities during their extended wait at the airport, leading to protests on-site.
Officials at the airport confirmed that the flight's departure was delayed due to a technical fault and stated that arranging a substitute flight on short notice was unfeasible. The announcement regarding the flight's departure was made after 11:30 a.m., but Air India Express did not clarify the specific nature of the technical issue.
This incident has raised safety concerns among passengers, particularly given the recent experience of another Air India flight, AI2379, which encountered a sudden altitude drop of about 300 feet while traveling from Phuket to Delhi on August 4. This Airbus A320 was carrying 137 passengers, including three infants, along with eight crew members.
After landing safely in Delhi, both pilots underwent mandatory testing for psychoactive substances. The incident resulted in injuries to 20 passengers and four crew members, with 17 individuals requiring hospitalization.