New Delhi: A chaotic situation unfolded on Monday as Air India flight AI-2022, traveling from Paris to New Delhi, was diverted to Jaipur due to smog in the capital. Passengers were left stranded for hours after the pilots, having completed their duty hours, refused to continue the flight, citing safety regulations.
The flight, which took off from Paris at 10 PM on Sunday, was scheduled to land in Delhi at 10:35 AM on Monday. However, dense smog in Delhi, which limited visibility, prompted the diversion to Jaipur as the pilots were not qualified for low-visibility landings. After landing in Jaipur, the crew stated that they could not fly further due to duty hour limitations, causing frustration among passengers.
Sources close to the situation revealed that Air India did not arrange an alternative flight as doing so would have taken more time than sending passengers to Delhi by bus. As a result, the airline opted to transport passengers by road to the capital, leaving many to question the handling of the situation. There was no immediate official statement from Air India on the matter. Passengers expressed dissatisfaction on social media, criticizing the lack of communication and the lengthy delays.�