Passengers from Delhi reach Abu Dhabi after 16-hour ordeal

Dubai: About 150 Air India passengers finally landed in Abu Dhabi after being stranded for over 16 hours at New Delhi.
Leaving terminal two of the Abu Dhabi airport, they looked peeved but at the same time relieved to have finally reached their destination.
Their flight AI-841, which was supposed to take off on Saturday at 12.45pm, was delayed and the stranded passengers were given accommodation at the Grand Hyatt.
They were asked to report to the airport as early as 3am, but could only board the aircraft at 5.15am.
What got the passengers infuriated was when they were told that they would have to put up with further delay as the pilot and the cabin crew had to take their mandatory rest.
The passengers' plan to block the runway was thwarted after security personnel and airline officials intervened. The plane finally took off for Abu Dhabi at 1.30pm local time yesterday and arrived in the UAE at 4.30pm local time.
Mumtaz Ahmad, who spoke to Gulf News soon after he arrived at Abu Dhabi, said the passengers had a tough time getting in touch with Air India officials at New Delhi airport.
Air India spokesperson Ashok Sharma said the flights that failed to take off in time were to Dubai, Muscat, Toronto and New York.
18/11/07 Indo-Asian News Service/Sunita Menon/Gulf News, United Arab Emirates

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Categories: Air India - International Nov 2007, Airports Nov 2007, Foreign Nov 2007, NACIL Nov 2007