New Delhi: Passengers travelling from Delhi to Kolkata on Wednesday on board Spicejet’s SG253 experienced a harrowing flying experience and they reached their destination 5 hours since the scheduled time of departure. Worse the air-conditioning wasn’t working, the flight crew ignored their pleas and when passengers protested, the crew brought back the plane to the bay.The flight was to take off at 1850 hrs from IGI airport and eventually took off at 2150 hrs and passengers reached their destination at 2345 hrs. What happened between 1850 hrs and 2150 hrs was certainly not what the passengers expected from an airline that had slowly and steadily been vying to be the top choice of fliers in this country.
One of the passengers on the flight told Times Now that the passengers had boarded the aircraft well before the scheduled take-off time. At that time the aircraft was “hot as hell”, the passenger said “several fliers questioned the staff about the air conditioning but the staff did not provide any answers. On receiving no assurance from the flight crew, passengers flagged their misery. Meanwhile, the aircraft was pushed from the bay for a take-off, the air conditioning was still not working and an argument between some passengers and the crew took a heated turn. Hearing the ruckus the captain, instead of ensuring that the air conditioning was turned on, brought the aircraft back to the bay. Passengers on board say that the move was not aimed at rectifying the air conditioning but to offload those who were raising their voice. At 1946 hrs, 76 minutes after the scheduled departure time, one of India’s best known Olympian shooter and Arjuna Awardee -- Joydeep Karmakar -- who was onboard the Spicejet flight, took to Twitter.
The ordeal for the passengers didn’t end there. Flyers who witnessed the fracas say that once the aircraft reached the bay the doors were opened and the ladder was put in place. One of the passengers said that the crew wanted a passenger to be offloaded for “rude behaviour”. While the passengers were insisting that the crew and the airline were at fault for not extending the basic courtesy of switching on the air conditioning on a hot summer Delhi evening. As the stalemate continued in the aircraft Bay Area an alarmed group of CISF personnel put an informal cordon around the aircraft to ensure that the passengers who have checked in do not spill out.
Joydeep took to Twitter again explaining that The conditions inside the aircraft were suffocating and several passengers were experiencing nausea. He tweeted again. This time at 2002 hrs.
By this time the passengers were trapped inside for almost 2 hrs without air conditioning and proper ventilation. The argument continued with some passengers inside the aircraft and some passengers outside.
Sources at the IGI airport confirmed to Times Now that there was a major confrontation between the passengers and the crew members at the IGI airport when the aircraft was brought back. The crew members of Spicejet, according to sources insisted on offloading a few passengers who protested before resuming the flight to Kolkata. This is a video sent by a passenger to Times Now
The matter finally was resolved due to a strong nudge by the CISF personnel. The captain of the flight agreed to take off yet again, without any passenger being offloaded. Passengers on the flight say that the air conditioning was switched on once the compromise was reached.
This is not where the trauma of the passengers ended. Spicejet forced yet another delay by throwing the rule book at them. By the time all passengers went back to their seats, the existing crew had exceeded the duty time and hence another crew was called in, which further delayed the flight. The passengers who had to reach their destination around 2100 hours had to sit in the aircraft only for around 3 hours before the flight could take off.
21/04/18 Heena Gambhir/Times Now
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One of the passengers on the flight told Times Now that the passengers had boarded the aircraft well before the scheduled take-off time. At that time the aircraft was “hot as hell”, the passenger said “several fliers questioned the staff about the air conditioning but the staff did not provide any answers. On receiving no assurance from the flight crew, passengers flagged their misery. Meanwhile, the aircraft was pushed from the bay for a take-off, the air conditioning was still not working and an argument between some passengers and the crew took a heated turn. Hearing the ruckus the captain, instead of ensuring that the air conditioning was turned on, brought the aircraft back to the bay. Passengers on board say that the move was not aimed at rectifying the air conditioning but to offload those who were raising their voice. At 1946 hrs, 76 minutes after the scheduled departure time, one of India’s best known Olympian shooter and Arjuna Awardee -- Joydeep Karmakar -- who was onboard the Spicejet flight, took to Twitter.
The ordeal for the passengers didn’t end there. Flyers who witnessed the fracas say that once the aircraft reached the bay the doors were opened and the ladder was put in place. One of the passengers said that the crew wanted a passenger to be offloaded for “rude behaviour”. While the passengers were insisting that the crew and the airline were at fault for not extending the basic courtesy of switching on the air conditioning on a hot summer Delhi evening. As the stalemate continued in the aircraft Bay Area an alarmed group of CISF personnel put an informal cordon around the aircraft to ensure that the passengers who have checked in do not spill out.
Joydeep took to Twitter again explaining that The conditions inside the aircraft were suffocating and several passengers were experiencing nausea. He tweeted again. This time at 2002 hrs.
By this time the passengers were trapped inside for almost 2 hrs without air conditioning and proper ventilation. The argument continued with some passengers inside the aircraft and some passengers outside.
Sources at the IGI airport confirmed to Times Now that there was a major confrontation between the passengers and the crew members at the IGI airport when the aircraft was brought back. The crew members of Spicejet, according to sources insisted on offloading a few passengers who protested before resuming the flight to Kolkata. This is a video sent by a passenger to Times Now
The matter finally was resolved due to a strong nudge by the CISF personnel. The captain of the flight agreed to take off yet again, without any passenger being offloaded. Passengers on the flight say that the air conditioning was switched on once the compromise was reached.
This is not where the trauma of the passengers ended. Spicejet forced yet another delay by throwing the rule book at them. By the time all passengers went back to their seats, the existing crew had exceeded the duty time and hence another crew was called in, which further delayed the flight. The passengers who had to reach their destination around 2100 hours had to sit in the aircraft only for around 3 hours before the flight could take off.
21/04/18 Heena Gambhir/Times Now
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