A New Delhi-bound Air India (AI) flight from Kolkata on Sunday evening, with Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit on-board among other passengers, was cancelled due to a technical snag, AI officials said.
"The New Delhi-bound flight was ready for take-off from Kolkata and while pushing back the aircraft from the parking bay, the pilot noticed a technical problem and informed the ground staff," the AI spokesperson said.
Here's a timeline of the horror flight and the trauma passengers underwent.
- Scheduled take off at time of booking: 5:30 pm
- Boarding delayed
- Rescheduled take off at 6:45 pm
- Technical snag announced on board around 7:15 pm
- Passengers repeatedly told engineers at work
- Refreshments (not dinner) served at 8 pm
- Captain announces had it been Delhi, repair would have been easier and faster
- Pakistan High Commission officials on board leave, take another flight
- Captain announces another aircraft on standby for 10:30 pm departure
- Passengers deplaned at 10 pm
- Bus transports passengers to terminal, where there is no Air India official to attend
- Passengers get agitated, they protest for 2 hours
- New boarding passes issued for around 2 am departure but the printed date said March 20
- Passengers board a different, smaller aircraft
- News of no crew, captain to fly comes post their boarding the flight
- Ruckus ensued
- More ruckus witnessed, officials pushed and shoved, gheraoed by passengers
- A lady gets panic attack, another starts crying
- Passengers asked to deplane again but they refuse and hurl abuses
- Refreshments served (not dinner) at 2 am
- Passengers move in and out of aircraft and on the tarmac freely
- At 3:30 am, passengers told that their plane will only fly at 6:45 am
- Air India staff comes on board to check boarding passes
- Passengers settle down as the sun rises and their ordeal comes to an end
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