New Delhi: Cricket fans booked on an Air India flight to catch Sunday's India-Pakistan World Cup match were left in the lurch after cabin shortage kept the Dreamliner at IGI Airport some eight hours past departure time. Violent clashes broke out as it became clear that the flight, set to reach Sydney at 6.40am (Australia time), ahead of the 2pm match, would not make it.
Air India is the only airline, Indian or foreign, to operate a direct flight from India to Australia and cricket fans on way to Adelaide made up the bulk of the flyers on Saturday's 12-hour flight.
Air India's AI 302 was to take off for Sydney and Melbourne with 252 passengers at 1pm (India time) on Saturday. A crippling cabin crew shortage kept flight grounded till 9pm. While an AI spokesman said the flight may take off by 9.30pm, airline sources said crew was unlikely to be found for the flight before midnight.
While an Air India spokesman hoped "the flight will take off in time and passengers be able to reach Australia in time for the match", there was little chance of them getting to Sydney in time and catching a connecting flight to Adelaide. As the hours passed, passengers got into heated arguments and fisticuffs with the airline staff.
15/02/15 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
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Air India is the only airline, Indian or foreign, to operate a direct flight from India to Australia and cricket fans on way to Adelaide made up the bulk of the flyers on Saturday's 12-hour flight.
Air India's AI 302 was to take off for Sydney and Melbourne with 252 passengers at 1pm (India time) on Saturday. A crippling cabin crew shortage kept flight grounded till 9pm. While an AI spokesman said the flight may take off by 9.30pm, airline sources said crew was unlikely to be found for the flight before midnight.
While an Air India spokesman hoped "the flight will take off in time and passengers be able to reach Australia in time for the match", there was little chance of them getting to Sydney in time and catching a connecting flight to Adelaide. As the hours passed, passengers got into heated arguments and fisticuffs with the airline staff.
15/02/15 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India
