Kolkata: A Dhaka-bound Air India flight passengers went through a harrowing time at the Kolkata airport on Friday night as they were made to board and then alight from a plane half-an-hour after the cancellation of their flight was announced.
The 135 passengers, many of whom were children, had to wait eight hours without food as the airline washed its hands of them. The incident reinforced the need for a protocol on passenger handling and care when a flight is cancelled.
"The Kolkata-based passengers could return home after the cancellation was finally announced around 10pm, but those in transit or from Bangladesh were stranded, with no clear communication from the airline staff. Officials present shrugged off all responsibility," said Delhi resident Uma Kant Pandey, who was flying to Dhaka to meet his wife, who works at the Indian high commission there.
19/05/13 Subhro Niyogi/Times of India
