Chaos ensued at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad after an Air India Express flight bound for Mumbai was diverted to Ahmedabad, leaving passengers stranded for over 9 hours.
Flight IX 296 of Air India Express, which departs from Abu Dhabi at 7:40 AM, was delayed on Sunday and took off at 8:34 PM instead. The flight was initially headed for Mumbai but was diverted to Ahmedabad due to bad weather. It landed at SVPI Airport at 2:33 PM.
After landing, passengers were deboarded and left stranded at SVPI Airport. Around midnight, tensions escalated as passengers lost control and arguments ensued between the airline staff and travelers.
One passenger said, “First of all, the flight took off 1 hour late. Then, due to bad weather, it landed in Ahmedabad. The crew and pilots left, and now, at midnight, no solution has been provided. Earlier, we were kept on the flight for 4 hours.”
One passenger took to twitter and wrote, “Air India Express, this is unacceptable! Flight IX 296 from AUH to BOM, scheduled to depart at 08:20 AM and arrive at 12:25 PM, is still not at its destination by 11 PM! What’s going on with this delay? #FlightDelay #PoorService#harrasment”