The diversion of a Paris-New Delhi Air India flight to Jaipur and the pilots' refusal to fly further after completing their duty hours sparked chaos on Monday as several passengers were left stranded for many hours and ultimately sent to the national capital by road.
There was no official statement from Air India but sources said the airline did not arrange an alternative flight as doing so would have taken longer than sending the passengers to Delhi on a bus.
AI-2022, which took off from Paris at 10pm on Sunday, was scheduled to reach Delhi at 10.35am on Monday. The flight, however, was diverted to Jaipur on Monday morning because of smog in the national capital since the pilots were not qualified to make low-visibility landings, the sources said.
At the Jaipur airport, as the flight waited for clearance to resume its journey to Delhi, the pilots refused to continue flying, citing completion of duty hours. The Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules framed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation mandate that the flight crew get enough rest and prevent fatigue-related safety issues.
The stranded passengers, whose journey to Delhi was already delayed by several hours, demanded an alternate flight and slammed the "pathetic management" by the airline.
"Shameful and pathetic management from @airindia today as flight #AI2022 from CDG-DEL diverted to JAI. Pax stranded at JAI asked to spend 5 hrs inside the aircraft and then to take a bus from JAI to DEL. My wife and two months old is suffering and I am helpless," Vishal P, an X user, posted on the micro-blogging platform.
Another user, Giridhara Upadhayaya, wrote on X: "@airindia is not helping passengers from Paris to Bengaluru stranded in Jaipur since 12 noon.there is a mother with 2 months baby and they are not in the mood to assist. Very inhuman staff...(sic)"
Sources said that, amid growing protests, the passengers were ultimately sent to Delhi on a bus.
"Arranging an alternate flight would have taken more time than sending the passengers on a bus," a source said.
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