By IANS
New Delhi : A few passengers of state-run airliner Indian Tuesday created a ruckus at the capital’s domestic airport over delay of their flight by more than four hours.
Some passengers of the Indian flight IX 102 D protested at the terminal T2 after the flight, which was supposed to arrive from Lucknow and leave for Mumbai at around 9 a.m., didn’t arrive till 12.30 p.m.
“Passengers complained that the airline didn’t provide any advance information regarding the delay and also refused to arrange for breakfast, all of which fuelled their anger,” said an airport official. He said that the protest did not result in any damage to the airlines property.
D.C. Kholi, executive director of Indian (Northern India), told IANS that the flight had been delayed due to “unconventional reasons” and the passengers had been compensated.
The flight departed for Mumbai at 2 p.m. with 184 passengers.
On Monday, the airlines had faced a similar situation after a four-hour flight from Delhi to Riyadh turned into a waiting ordeal for the passengers.
The flight AI 821 was supposed to depart at 2.40 p.m. and the passengers had cleared all the formalities and were ready to board the aircraft. However, the flight did not arrive till late evening.
The flight was rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon and the passengers put up at a five-star hotel.
Senior airport and airline officials revealed to IANS that the airline is facing a huge shortage of planes due to opening up of new sectors and matters were not likely to improve before next year.
Admitting that the airlines was suffering from aircraft shortage, Koli claimed that flights were being delayed due to lack of adequate infrastructure at the airport.
“Flights are getting delayed as passenger clearance is taking longer now because the area around the security and emigration counters has been reduced,” Koli said.