Fliers protest on tarmac

Calcutta: Passengers of a Bagdogra-bound flight that was cancelled because of bad weather in north Bengal staged an agitation on the tarmac of the city airport on Friday afternoon.
The Kingfisher Airlines Calcutta-Bagdogra flight was cancelled after its 75 passengers had boarded the plane, said an airport official.
The 15-odd passengers who staged the agitation near the parking bay alleged that they had to wait on board for nearly two hours. They were escorted inside the domestic terminal building, where they continued to protest till night.
An airline spokesperson said, “The departure was scheduled at 2.20pm. The passengers had to wait for 45 minutes before the flight was cancelled as visibility dropped sharply at Bagdogra.”
He added: “Officials at Bagdogra said the weather was bad and conditions were not suitable for flying. Hence, there was no point in taking off. Safety of the passengers was our primary concern.”
According to him, non-resident passengers were accommodated in a hotel and those who wanted to cancel their tickets were compensated.
24/01/09 The Telegraph

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Categories: Airports Jan 2009