Kingfisher Flight aborts Take-off: Returns to pick Lone Passenger

Mangalore: The 9.30 pm Kingfisher flight to Mumbai from Kochi via Bajpe airport here, was about to gain speed after taxing for take off, when it was directed to return to the tarmac to pick up a lady passenger, who had been left behind on Sunday, July 26.
It is said, that a lone lady passenger, who was waiting at the VIP lounge of the local airport, ensured that she was picked up by the flight that was about to take off. Reportedly, the woman, who is a member of the advisory committee of Airports Authority of India, came to know about the departure of the flight late, and immediately confronted local head of Kingfisher Airlines, Rishi Mehta. He thereafter asked the Air Traffic Control officials to summon the aircraft back, which was done. The flight took off after a delay of about an hour.
The incident was reported by the pilot, as per rules, to the Director General of Civil Aviation and an investigating team arrived at the local airport to investigate the incident.
Kripa Amar Alva, who was the passenger in question, said that her bags had been loaded on to the aircraft and that she was unaware that the flight had left. The airport officials, while providing her a seat in the lounge, had promised that she would be informed when the flight is ready, she claimed. When she came out to check as to why the flight, scheduled to leave at 7.45, had not yet departed, she found to her dismay that the flight was on its way, she explained. Alva said, other passengers in the flight were furious, thinking that she had caused the delay, but asserted she was not to be blamed for the incident.
28/07/09 Daijiworld.com

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Categories: Airports Jul 2009, Kingfisher Jul 2009