E-Paper
AI fliers stuck in plane for 9 hrs in London
More than 200 passengers on board an Air India flight to London had a nightmarish experience on Sunday after the aircraft was diverted to Gatwick airport owing to bad weather at Heathrow.
More than 200 passengers on board an Air India flight to London had a nightmarish experience on Sunday after the aircraft was diverted to Gatwick airport owing to bad weather at Heathrow.
Airline sources told HT that the passengers were stranded inside the aircraft at Gatwick for at least nine hours, as the crew had completed their stipulated duty time and no spare crew were available.
“It’s been close to nine hours since we have been stuck in the plane and we have not heard anything from the airline,” said Pravin Salunkhe, a senior CBI official who was on the flight.
“There is no food and water, and there is no assistance from the airline,” said another passenger. Airline sources told HT that the airport authorities refused landing permission to the flight because the pilot was not CAT-III compliant.
