GoAir faces action for ferrying passengers instead of cargo

Sources from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the flight had reached Port Blair but was denied permission to land on both the days, after which the flight had to return mid-air

In a serious violation of norms, GoAir’s Port Blair-bound flight from Chennai flew without the requisite permissions on Tuesday and Wednesday. The budget carrier’s flight was scheduled as a cargo flight. However, it booked passengers and operated both the flights as commercial ones.

HT has access to documents which reveal that the budget carrier is permitted to operate only cargo flights on Tuesday and Wednesday between Chennai and Port Blair airports until March 24, 2021. (HT File)

Sources from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said the flight had reached Port Blair but was denied permission to land on both the days, after which the flight had to return mid-air.

HT has access to documents which reveal that the budget carrier is permitted to operate only cargo flights on Tuesday and Wednesday between Chennai and Port Blair airports until March 24, 2021.

“The flight schedule implies that the airline in this case had to operate as cargo flights for December 15 and 16. However, on both these dates, the flight was sold as a passenger flight and hence it was denied permission to land at Port Blair,” said a source from Chennai airport.

Arun Kumar, director general of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said the regulatory agency is investigating the matter.

A GoAir spokesperson confirmed the development, but did not reveal the details. “GoAir flight G81305 from Chennai to Port Blair made an air turn back/diversion due to operational reasons and landed in Chennai with 160 passengers on board. GoAir has taken utmost care and rendered all the requisite assistance to the passengers. The airline sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers,” said the spokesperson.

Upset with the diversions, passengers took to complaint about the situation.

“@goairlinesindia http://GoAir.in flight #G8 1305 from Chennai to Port Blair couldn’t get permission to land at Port Blair due to any reasons. Passengers are stuck at Chennai Airport Runway. Please help (sic),” read a tweet by Chirag Tamakuwala, a flier who had to land back in Chennai owing to the violation.

Another passenger, Viral Patel, a businessman from Gujarat, tweeted on Wednesday, “@goairlinesindia WHAT you did to us yesterday IS PATHETIC while going from Chennai to Port Blair. You fool us you cheaters @MoCA_GoI @jagograhakjago my PNR from GoAir is I9D4UW. They board consumer flight and told a&n auth. that it’s CARGO FLIGHT.WE ALL STUCK AT CHENNAI AIRPORT. We want to file complaint about this and want them to punish them.”