By IANS
Amritsar : Over 180 passengers bound for New York from this holy city of the Sikhs went through a harrowing ordeal Sunday after their Air India flight failed to take off Saturday.
The passengers were stuck — first for seven hours inside the aircraft, which failed to take off and then at the airport — as the airline failed to make arrangements for them to board alternate flights for their destination.
Air India officials here maintained that the flight, AI-111, which was to take off at 4.45 a.m. Saturday, could not take off initially due to fog at the airport. After visibility became better, the aircraft still remained on the ground as officials found that it had developed some technical snag.
However, irritated passengers refused to disembark saying that the airline first make alternate arrangements for them.
Air India manager A.K. Arora said the airline was trying to make alternate arrangements.
The passengers, however, continued to suffer from what they said apathy of the airline.
Those who were from Amritsar were asked to go back to home while those from other places were kept waiting at the airport terminal building till Sunday morning.
Passengers rued that the airline failed to provide any facility to them or help them check into hotels.
Children and women were among the passengers who suffered in the absence of any facilities.