Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network-Mangalore/Dammam
Mangalore/Dammam, Oct 20: A major technical glitch in Air India Express aircraft that was scheduled to take off from Dammam on Saturday at 8.30 pm has forced the passengers travelling down to coastal district stay back in Dammam for the past two days.
An Air India official on Monday morning has assured that the passengers will be sent to the destination, Mangalore by an alternative flight at 10 pm in the night today.
“We have been stranded due to the poor service of the Air India Express” lamented Sarfraz, a passenger stranded at Dammam over the phone.
An Air India official on Saturday said that the flight would be delayed for a day and problem of wheel break was the reason. The official informed that the certain spare part is required to fix the problem which was not available in the Middle East and it had to come from India.
“Air India agent took as many as 180 passengers to the Golden Tulip hotel at 1.30 am on Sunday morning. On the instructions of the official we stayed in the hotel for 24 hours. Even as the Air India agent brought the passengers back to the airport at 1.30 am on Monday, there was no sign of flight arrival. However later when asked, the official told us that the problem would be fixed soon and we were made to wait in the airport.” Sarfraz said with anger.
“The Dammam air terminal initially displayed a message on screen that AI flight would be late by three hours. But they were unable to sort out the problem due to which passengers made to roam haplessly in the airport from one gate to another. Though the passengers were accommodated in the hotel, no sufficient cloths were available as they had sent the luggage prior to their departure. Many passengers here are left in lurch and officials failed to act on time” said another passenger Muneera.
When daijiworld phoned AI official functioning at Dammam, he was not responding to the phone.
“The official told me that problem could not be resolved and the Air India Express will arrange another flight at 10 pm on Monday night to carry the passengers. There were pregnant women, senior citizens among passengers and also one student who could not make to the exams on Monday. The passengers are currently taken back to the hotel.” Sarfraz told Daijiworld over the phone.
Meanwhile Health Minister U T Khadar told Daijiworld that he was contacted by relatives of the passengers.
“I spoke to concerned officials and an alternative flight will be arranged for the journey". Khadar assured.