In a bizarre incident, passengers onboard an Air India flight got stuck in the plane after it landed at Khajuraho airport as door of the plane did not open due to a technical snag.
The plane carrying 17 passengers had landed at Khajuraho airport. The crew could not open the door of the aircraft, preventing passengers on board from deplaning and those waiting at the airport to board the plane.
The flight then proceeded to Varanasi from Khajuraho. AI 406 takes off from Delhi for Khajuraho, goes to Varanasi and then returns to Delhi.
"There was a technical problem because of which the doors could not be opened. The flight then proceeded to Varanasi from Khajuraho with passengers that were on board," said Air India station manager at Khajuraho, AK Tiwari.
Sources said that the trolley accumulator, the machine used to power the plane, had developed a snag which prevented the doors from being opened.
There were 43 passengers waiting to board the plane for its onward journey to Varanasi and to Delhi. Some of the passengers were sent to their respective destinations by road.
{{/usCountry}}There were 43 passengers waiting to board the plane for its onward journey to Varanasi and to Delhi. Some of the passengers were sent to their respective destinations by road.
{{/usCountry}}Others were offered hotel stay and tickets for Saturday, the day on which the next flight would arrive in Khajuraho. However none of the passengers accepted the offer.
"I had urgent work in Delhi but now I will not be able to reach there in time,” said Suresh Kumar Baghera, a passenger who was waiting to board the plane.
Recently, at Khajuraho airport a major mishap was averted when landing gear of a Jet Airways plane developed a snag and didn’t work properly. One of the wings of the plane tilted and the passengers had to get out of the plane through emergency doors.
(With inputs from Anupam Pateria in Sagar)