Passengers hold crew hostage for 12 hours in Mumbai

Mumbai: A hostage drama unfolded at Mumbai airport as passengers of Air India’s special flight — who agency reports said were Haj pilgrims — held its crew hostage for more than 12 hours due to fog delays in Delhi on Saturday.
On Janiary 02, around 6pm, Mumbai-Delhi extra section flight 891A of a Boeing 777-200 with more than 200 passengers of AI’s diverted flights was formed to leave for Delhi.While AI’s regular Mumbai-Delhi flights left for Delhi, some of them could land, while others had to return due to fog after 8pm.
AI spokesperson Jitendra Bhargava said, “After the return of flights without landing, departure of further flights was held up. It included AI891 A. Passengers had been boarded on the flight in anticipation of departure. Once the flight was aborted due to poor visibility in Delhi, passengers were requested to deplane.”
Around 9pm, the airline told the passengers to alight and proceed to the transit lounge, from where they would be taken to a hotel and passenger coaches were called in. “When the passengers were told to deplane, 20-odd passengers created a ruckus on board. They blocked the exit points and refused to get down or let anyone go,” a crew member said.“As the flight was declared cancelled, the food was off-loaded,” he said.
According to directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) rules, the crew has to be on board till passengers leave, so even the crew could not leave the plane.
“.. The passengers refused to disembark, notwithstanding a request to deplane and an assurance of overnight stay in hotels,” Bhargava said.
As there was no food or water on board, everyone went hungry for more than 12 hours, sources alleged. At 9.40am on Sunday, the passengers alighted when the AI management assured them that they would be sent to Delhi on Sunday itself.
An MIAL spokesperson said the airline did not inform them about the incident.Director general of civil aviation Naseem Zaidi said he was unaware of the incident and would look into the matter.
The Air India Cabin Crew Association said it was shocked that no Central Industrial Security Force or police personnel were deployed by Air India or the airport operator (Mumbai International Airport Limited) despite knowing the situation.
04/01/10 Naveeta Singh/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Airports Jan 2010, NACIL Jan 2010