3 flight disruptions in a day: Passengers' protests, AC failure, emergency landing
Air travel was hit by a series of disruptions involving Air India Express, SpiceJet and IndiGo, with passengers facing technical snags, lack of ventilation and
Air travel was hit by a series of disruptions involving Air India Express, SpiceJet and IndiGo, with passengers facing technical snags, lack of ventilation and an in-flight engine issue within a day. Passengers travelling from Kolkata to Chennai on Air India Express flight IX1254 staged a protest at Kolkata Airport after their flight was delayed due to a technical issue. According to a passenger, boarding passes had already been issued when travellers were informed shortly before departure that the aircraft had developed a technical problem. Passengers waited for a considerable period without clear information on when they would reach their destination, prompting a protest inside the airport.
Read Full Story A video clip shared by a passenger showed travellers protesting and seeking answers from airline staff. SPICEJET PASSENGERS ALLEGE AC FAILURE ON DELHI-PUNE FLIGHT Passengers of SpiceJet flight SG 105 from Delhi to Pune also faced disruption after the aircraft reportedly developed a technical issue shortly after boarding. The flight was scheduled to depart at 9.55 pm on Tuesday, but boarding began around 10.30 pm. Passenger Leshpal alleged there was no ventilation inside the aircraft and the air-conditioning system was not functioning. He said conditions became increasingly difficult, with passengers sweating heavily, children crying and pregnant women struggling in the heat. Passengers later protested on the tarmac, following which the airline's technical team inspected the aircraft and confirmed it could not fly, according to Leshpal.
Passengers were taken back inside the terminal and an alternative flight was arranged for 5 am. SpiceJet said flight SG 105 encountered a last-minute technical issue. An alternate aircraft was arranged, and the flight subsequently operated to Pune. "SpiceJet deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers," an airline spokesperson said. INDIGO FLIGHT LANDS SAFELY IN CHENNAI AFTER ENGINE ISSUE Meanwhile, a full emergency was declared at Chennai Airport after IndiGo flight 6E-723 from Kolkata developed a left engine inoperative condition while approaching Chennai. The Chennai Airport Authority said the emergency was declared at 11.29 pm, with the aircraft expected to land at 11.37 pm. Emergency response arrangements were put in place as a precaution.
The aircraft landed safely on Runway 25 at 11.37 pm with 224 people on board. The full emergency was withdrawn at 11.47 pm, and airport operations returned to normal. The incident comes weeks after another IndiGo flight from Dubai to Mumbai made an unscheduled emergency landing at Rajkot Airport after pilots received an alert indicating smoke in the lower cargo hold. Emergency teams were deployed as a precaution before the aircraft landed safely. Ends With inputs from Anupam Mishra and agency
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