E-Paper
Air India Milan-Delhi flight cancelled ahead of Diwali due to technical snag, hundreds stranded
According to Air India, all affected passengers have been provided hotel accommodations.
An Air India flight from Italy's Milan to Delhi, that was supposed to fly on Friday, October 17, was cancelled due to a technical snag, spoiling Diwali plans of hundreds of passengers.
According to Air India, all affected passengers of the flight AI138 have been provided hotel accommodations. As many as 256 passengers and 10 crew members were supposed to fly to India on that flight, however, they could not, according to a report by the Times of India.
Air India said that alternative flights have been booked for passengers on or after Monday, October 20, the day Diwali will be celebrated this year. However, arrangements have ben made for one of the passengers on the flight whose Schengen visa will expire on October 20 to fly to India on October 19 to comply with her visa validity, said the airline.
What Air India said
In a statement, the airline said that the flight was cancelled to prioritize the “safety of all passengers and crew”. It also said that passengers have been provided hotel accommodations, however, a little away from the vicinity of the airport.
“Flight AI138 from Milan to Delhi on 17 October was cancelled due to an extended technical requirement on the aircraft scheduled to operate the flight, prioritizing the safety of all passengers and crew,” Air India said in the statement.
“All affected passengers have been provided hotel accommodations; however, due to limited availability, accommodations were arranged outside the immediate vicinity of the airport. Passengers have been rebooked on alternative flights on or after 20 October, based on seat availability with Air India and other airlines. Specifically, one of the passengers, whose Schengen visa expires on 20 October, has been rebooked on another airline’s flight departing Milan on 19 October to ensure compliance with her visa validity,” it added.
"Air India continues to provide all necessary ground assistance, including meals, to all affected passengers. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and reaffirm our commitment to the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew.”
