Raipur, Aug 11
A technical snag in an Air India flight arriving from Delhi led to a tense hour-long delay at Raipur airport, leaving around 160 passengers, including a sitting MLA, stranded inside the aircraft with no immediate explanation.
Flight AI 2797 departed Delhi at 8.15 p.m. and landed at Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport at 10.05 p.m. on Sunday. However, upon touchdown, the aircraft’s door failed to open due to what airline staff later described as a “technical faultâ€.
Passengers remained confined inside the plane until after 11.00 p.m., sparking confusion and concern.
Among those onboard was Atal Srivastava, Congress MLA from Kota constituency in Bilaspur district.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the cabin crew initially offered no clear explanation, leading to growing unease among passengers.
“There was no communication for a while. People were anxious, especially after recent aviation incidents,†said one passenger, referring to the recent plane crash in Ahmedabad that has heightened public sensitivity around air safety.
The situation reportedly escalated when passengers noticed a halt in power supply within the aircraft, further fuelling speculation of a malfunction. However, Air India officials later clarified that the delay was part of a routine security drill and not a safety breach.
The explanation, however, did little to pacify passengers who had already endured an hour of uncertainty.
Airport authorities confirmed that no injuries or medical emergencies occurred during the delay, and all passengers eventually disembarked safely.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has not issued a formal statement on the incident as of Monday afternoon.
This marks yet another instance of technical irregularity involving Air India flights in recent months, raising questions about operational readiness and passenger communication protocols.
While the airline maintains that safety was never compromised, the incident has reignited concerns over the handling of in-flight disruptions and the psychological toll on passengers.
As air travel rebounds post-pandemic, aviation authorities may face increasing pressure to ensure not just mechanical reliability but also transparent and timely communication with passengers during unexpected delays.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The lack of communication is what bothers me most. If they had just explained the situation properly, passengers wouldn't have panicked. Basic crisis management 101! 🤦â€â™€ï¸ Hope DGCA takes note of this incident.
Typical government airline behavior. Only when an MLA was onboard did they take it seriously. What about common passengers? We face such issues regularly but no one cares. Privatization was supposed to improve things, but seems nothing has changed.
As a frequent flyer, I've noticed Air India's service has improved in some areas, but technical issues like this are worrying. Maybe they should focus less on fancy new liveries and more on basic aircraft maintenance?
The power going off inside must have been terrifying! After the Ahmedabad crash, people are naturally more anxious. Airlines need to understand passenger psychology better. A simple announcement could have prevented so much stress.
I flew Air India last month and had a decent experience. But reading this makes me think twice. Safety should never be compromised, no matter what. Hope they conduct proper checks on all their aircrafts now. ðŸ™
While this is concerning, let's not forget that technical issues can happen with any airline. What
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