Air India flight finally makes it to New Delhi after 12-hour delay

A New Delhi bound Air India (AI) flight from Kolkata, with Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit among other passengers on-board, was cancelled on Sunday evening 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. "Engineers examined the aircraft thoroughly, but the snag could not be rectified and the aircraft was declared unfit to fly," he said.

All 237 passengers were de-boarded and 50 of them, including Basit, were accommodated in another subsequent flight to Delhi, the spokesperson said, adding that the rest of the passengers would be accommodated in another flight on Monday morning.

However passengers have complained that the airline did not take care of them, according to a Hindustan Times report. While the Pakistan high commissioner and some other passengers were accommodated in the 8.30 pm flight of Air India, the rest were reportedly made to wait until 9 pm in the plane as engineers were looking at the issue.

Passengers were finally told to deplane at 9 pm and complained that elderly women and children were highly inconvenienced. They also alleged that they were served only refreshments and not dinner, which has been denied by the airline. Pass were also irked when special treatment was reportedly given to Sitaram Yechuri on the Monday morning flight, reports the daily. 

The flight finally reached New Delhi after a delay of over 12 hours.

(With agency inputs)