Passengers stuck in planes for hours as delays hit flights

Hundreds of passengers were stranded in planes of different airlines for more than four hours at the Kempegowda International Airport on Wednesday.

The Bengaluru-Mumbai Indigo flight which was scheduled to take off at 9.30 am took off only at 5.30 pm. Similarly, a Delhi-bound aircraft of the same airlines was delayed. Because of the ongoing Aero India 2017, the Bengaluru International Airport Ltd has rescheduled all flights. According to the schedule, there will be no flights between 10 am and noon and between 2 pm and 5 pm.

More than the delay, passengers said they were irked by the attitude of the airlines. Passengers were asked to board the flight at 1.30 pm. One of the passengers, Sneha Walke, vice president and head south India - exchange4media group, told DH that the airlines did not give a clear picture about when they would take off. “We didn’t understand why passengers were asked to board the plane when it was not scheduled to take off. “We were made to sit inside the aircraft for four hours. Indigo staff didn’t even bother to provide food to several senior citizens and kids in the flight. At least they should have allowed us to return to the lounge to have food,’’ she said. Several passengers vented their anger on the airline staff who finally relented and allowed passengers to deplane around 3 pm. Similarly, the Delhi-bound Indigo flight was delayed by over three hours. Several other aircraft of different airlines were delayed, said passengers.