Tweet
Itinerary of at least 350 London-bound air travellers has gone awry after a British Airways flight from Delhi to London (flight number BA 256) failed to take off on the second consecutive day due to a technical snag in the aircraft on Saturday.
They had a harrowing time as they were made to sit in the aircraft on Friday for five hours without AC even as the Capital was sizzling in 44° Celsius temperature, the hottest day of the season. The ordeal was even greater for wheelchair-bound passengers and children.
The flight was originally scheduled to depart on Friday morning. Passengers of the grounded flight said as there was no official of the airline to brief about the real cause of the delay and later cancellation of the trip, they remained stranded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport for hours on Friday and Saturday. They were served warm water.
Narrating her ordeal, Arpana Bhutani said the passengers reported on time at the airport on Friday and they boarded the plane too but the flight did not take off. “We kept sitting in the aircraft from nine to three in the afternoon for five hours in the heat. We were just told that there was some technical glitch and engineers were trying to fix it. But after five hours we were told to de-board,” she said, adding all passengers faced discomfort including a group of schoolchildren who were on study tour. “There were women with infants; it was such a difficult time for everyone. Later we were shifted to hotels and no instruction given that the hotel has to serve food to us. It was all a mess,” she complained.
One of the passengers who wished not to be named said at night, the passengers were told that the flight had been rescheduled for Saturday but to their surprise, the plane did not depart even on Saturday. “Our grievance is that if the airline was not sure about the rectification of snag why were the passengers asked to report at the airport and then left stranded here,” she said.
The passengers were angry on why they were not accommodated into other airlines. The Indian passengers scheduled to fly on this flight also alleged that while foreigners were accommodated in other airlines the Indians were not. “Some of the British nationals were accommodated into other airlines, but they did not give the same treatment to us,” said another passenger.
“I was told by another friend of mine who flew by Air India on Friday that the Air India flight to London flew with nearly 200 seats vacant,” he said.
The British Airways London flight could not take off even by Saturday night. The airline in the evening asked the passengers to claim their reimbursement and alternative arrangements. “Even if they give us our money back, they will not be able to compensate for the harassment they have caused us. I was to attend a wedding in London. But now I have missed out on two ceremonies just sitting at the airport,” another passenger added.
Despite repeated attempts the British Airways spokesperson remained unavailable for comment.
“BA 256, 25 May, Delhi to London had a technical fault due to which there was a delay to the departure. British Airways apologises to its customers for the inconvenience caused as a result of this delay to their travel schedule. Safety and security is of paramount importance to British Airways and will not be compromised,” a airline spokesperson said.
They had a harrowing time as they were made to sit in the aircraft on Friday for five hours without AC even as the Capital was sizzling in 44° Celsius temperature, the hottest day of the season. The ordeal was even greater for wheelchair-bound passengers and children.
The flight was originally scheduled to depart on Friday morning. Passengers of the grounded flight said as there was no official of the airline to brief about the real cause of the delay and later cancellation of the trip, they remained stranded at the Indira Gandhi International Airport for hours on Friday and Saturday. They were served warm water.
Narrating her ordeal, Arpana Bhutani said the passengers reported on time at the airport on Friday and they boarded the plane too but the flight did not take off. “We kept sitting in the aircraft from nine to three in the afternoon for five hours in the heat. We were just told that there was some technical glitch and engineers were trying to fix it. But after five hours we were told to de-board,” she said, adding all passengers faced discomfort including a group of schoolchildren who were on study tour. “There were women with infants; it was such a difficult time for everyone. Later we were shifted to hotels and no instruction given that the hotel has to serve food to us. It was all a mess,” she complained.
One of the passengers who wished not to be named said at night, the passengers were told that the flight had been rescheduled for Saturday but to their surprise, the plane did not depart even on Saturday. “Our grievance is that if the airline was not sure about the rectification of snag why were the passengers asked to report at the airport and then left stranded here,” she said.
The passengers were angry on why they were not accommodated into other airlines. The Indian passengers scheduled to fly on this flight also alleged that while foreigners were accommodated in other airlines the Indians were not. “Some of the British nationals were accommodated into other airlines, but they did not give the same treatment to us,” said another passenger.
“I was told by another friend of mine who flew by Air India on Friday that the Air India flight to London flew with nearly 200 seats vacant,” he said.
The British Airways London flight could not take off even by Saturday night. The airline in the evening asked the passengers to claim their reimbursement and alternative arrangements. “Even if they give us our money back, they will not be able to compensate for the harassment they have caused us. I was to attend a wedding in London. But now I have missed out on two ceremonies just sitting at the airport,” another passenger added.
Despite repeated attempts the British Airways spokesperson remained unavailable for comment.
“BA 256, 25 May, Delhi to London had a technical fault due to which there was a delay to the departure. British Airways apologises to its customers for the inconvenience caused as a result of this delay to their travel schedule. Safety and security is of paramount importance to British Airways and will not be compromised,” a airline spokesperson said.
