GoAir Flight Grounded In Goa For Hours, Passengers Tweet SOS From Runway

A GoAir flight to Delhi with 42 on board, including children and elderly, was delayed by more than six hours at the Goa Airport, according to passengers inside. The aircraft was supposed to take off for Delhi at 5:30 pm on Friday.

GoAir, in a statement, has said Flight G8-285 has suffered a minor technical snag that is being rectified. At around midnight, a GoAir representative said that passengers had begun boarding and the flight would take off "soon".

In videos shared from the aircraft, some passengers complained that they have been not been given food and basic arrangements like milk for children has not been provided.

A passenger, Amit, speaking to NDTV over the phone, said the aircraft was on the runway for an hour and a half, before it was taken back to the bay and the passengers were asked to deplane.

"We were told there is a weather issue. Then we were told that we are going back to the bay for refueling. Then we were asked to deplane. The GoAir personnel told us there is a snag and they want to rectify it. They later told us that it was the pilot's mistake who took the plane to a wrong runway," Amit told NDTV.

"We are still on board. We are waiting for a part to be replaced in the aircraft after which the flight will take off," he added.

Simrita Takhtar, one of the passengers who tweeted about the delay this evening, said the passengers were given two samosas by the flight attendants, but weren't given any clarity on when the flight will take off or what exactly was the reason for the delay.

"We're literally standing at the arrival exit waiting to be told what to do next. Oh when family called up the @goairlinesindia they said Thank you for calling us, the flight has landed in Delhi!! Are you kidding me!" Simrita Takhtar tweeted.

Another passenger, Uma Garg, tweeted to say that the passengers are being given different reasons for the flight not taking off, from refuelling to rain to broken parts.

"Hello - It is pathetic situation and poor service from GoAir...we are on GoAir Flight 285 from last 4 hours with no clue why flight is not taking off Every time they are coming with some reason like due to rain, Fuel over, some part broke out. #Aviation #goairpatheticsercice", Uma Garg tweeted.

The airline said all passengers were being cared for. "GoAir sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to its passengers. GoAir is committed to the highest degree of safety of passengers and its own crew members and the crew operated within the established guidelines to provide for safe travel," the statement said.