Delhi-Patna flight returns after 8 hrs without landing
New Delhi: A ruckus among airport staffers and passengers were reported as a Jet Airways flight from Delhi to Patna returned to Indira Gandhi International Airport after diversion to Varanasi. The flight was diverted to Varanasi on Friday due to non-availability of taxiway at Patna Airport and returned to Delhi on Friday night. 150 passengers travelling to Patna had to wait for the flight to land for eight hours, only to find out that they had landed back where they took off from.
In s video released by news agency shows that a Jet Airways ground staff is seen surrounded by angry passengers who are involved in an argument.
Although it is unclear what the argument was all about, airport sources said it was related to the Jet Airways flight diversion and return incident.
Jet Airways flight 9W 730 from Delhi to Patna was diverted to Varanasi, following non-availability of taxiway and eventually brought back to Delhi.
The flight departed from Terminal 3 at 2.30 pm but “due to non-availability of taxiway” at the Patna Airport the flight was diverted to Varanasi. However, the flight landed back at Terminal 3 at 9.30 pm.
According to an earlier report, special flight was being arranged for all the 150 passengers. The video shows tempers among the passengers rising high and the people demanding to see the staff’s manager to talk with.
However, it is unclear if the men arguing in the video are travelling to Patna or are irked by the delay which might have been caused due to the diversion and its technicalities.
“A Jet Airways flight No 9W 730 Delhi to Patna departed from T-3 at scheduled time 2.30 pm but due to non availability of taxiway at Patna airport it was diverted to Varanasi. Later, it has been returned to Delhi and landed back at Terminal-3 at 9.30 pm. All 150 passengers were taken to a hotel Vasant Kunj and a special flight will be arranged to them which they will fly on Saturday at 8.30 am. This information was provided by Jet Airways,” said Sanjay Bhatia, DCP airport.