Kuwait-Bound Air India Express Flight Leaves Behind Over 15 Passengers At Vijayawada Airport

Air India Express flight to Kuwait departed three hours before the scheduled departure time, leaving seventeen passengers stranded at the Vijayawada international airport. The passengers were astonished to learn that the flight had taken off at 9.55 a.m. when they arrived at the airport at 11 a.m. According to the tickets they purchased two days previously, the IX695 flight departed at 1.10 p.m. The passengers expressed their displeasure that they were not told in advance of the change in departure time, noting that they had been instructed to report at 11 a.m. but had not received any other information.

When the passengers approached the airline staff at the airport, they were told the change in timing was intimated on various websites where tickets were sold. ANI quotes Air India official saying, "All the passengers were informed about the rescheduled flight one day in advance."

Also read: Kentucky Helicopter Crash: Two US Military Choppers Collide Near Fort Campbell, Deaths Feared

"How can they expect us to check with the websites for changes in the departure timing," asked Paul, one of the passengers who missed the flight. Only those passengers who booked after the rescheduling boarded the flight.

The flight reached Vijayawada from Trichy at 9 a.m. and left for Kuwait at 9.55 a.m. It was earlier announced that the flight will reach Vijayawada from Trichy at 12.15 p.m. and take off for Kuwait at 1.10 p.m.

Airport officials said the airline had rescheduled the departure due to some issues that are not uncommon in international operations. They also claimed that the airline provided an alternative to some of the passengers.

There have been previous such incidents in the past. Earlier, a GoFirst flight left behind 55 passengers at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport. Later on, the Indian aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) took action against the airline and imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 10 lakh.

With IANS Inputs