Stranded Leh-bound passengers protest at IGI airport

Around 100 stranded Jet Airways passengers traveling from Delhi to Leh protested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here Wednesday, demanding accommodation and other facilities.

The passengers, who have been stranded for the last two days, said they were not provided with any accommodation or transport.

“Nearly 80-100 passengers from Delhi to Leh and foreigners have been stranded here for the last two days and we have not received any type of accommodation or transport to-and-from airport,” Sonam Wangchuck, one of the passengers, told IANS.

“Other airlines which faced similar problems such as Air India and Go Air at least have provided accommodation to passengers, who need it,”  he said.

Wangchuck and other passengers have been protesting silently in front of the IGI's terminal-3 (T3).

Many passengers of Jet, GoAir and Air India were stranded following inclement weather  in Leh in the past few days.

However, Air India and Go Air have been able to resolve the issue by providing alternative tickets and free accommodation in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Jet said it was not obligated to provide any such facilities as the delay in operations was due to weather and not any other technical reason the carrier is responsible for.

"The airline has acted in accordance with regulator's CAR (civil aviation requirements) as regards affected passengers of flight disruption due to inclement weather."

"Jet Airways has organised a special flight on 7th February, 2013 to compensate the cancelled Leh flight," the airline said in a statement.