AI domestic operations at T3 only after Diwali

The ministry of civil aviation is considering to shift the domestic operation of Air India to terminal 3 (T3) by the start of next week. While the national carrier may shift to T3 soon after Diwali, other airlines will shift on November 14.

The ministry of civil aviation is considering to shift the domestic operation of Air India to terminal 3 (T3) by the start of next week. While the national carrier may shift to T3 soon after Diwali, other airlines will shift on November 14.

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According to airport sources, passengers of Air India are facing major problems ever since the national carrier has shifted 11 domestic arrivals to T3. For the third consecutive day, the AI flights got delayed and passengers had to wait for their baggage for nearly five hours.

On Tuesday, Air India flight IC-658 from Kozhikode to Delhi via Coimbatore and Mumbai, was delayed for over four hours while baggage of other flights also got delayed. The fliers are facing these delays as the domestic section of T3 is not fully ready.

“Domestic section of T3 is not yet connected with the aerobridge and the airline has to carry out its operations manually,” said the source.

Meanwhile, the passengers of Kabul-bound Air India flight IC-843 protested after the airline cancelled the flight and adjusted the passengers into another aircraft. Sources said the airline cancelled its flights on Monday and Tuesday due to less number of passengers.

“The aircraft has a capacity of carrying 145 passengers but in past two days only 40-45 passengers have booked with us,” said an AI official.