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According to the FIR lodged with city police, Commander Rupali Wagmore complained that a passenger even told her he would not hesitate to kill her if anything happened to his six-month-old child.
Around 200 passengers of AI Kochi-bound flight from Abu Dhabi had on October 19 protested and some allegedly tried entering the cockpit after it was diverted to the state capital due to poor visibility. Having boarded the previous night, they alleged it took several hours even to take off from Abu Dhabi.
The comments of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy slamming Air India over the incident, meanwhile, triggered a row.
Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said the chief minister should have waited for the outcome of separate inquiries into the incident before faulting the airline.
"He should have waited," Singh said in New Delhi. Singh said one should wait for the inquiry reports before jumping into any conclusion.
The Kerala police, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the DGCA will all study what prompted Captain Rupali to raise the hijack alarm.
Chandy had said on Sunday that the state-owned airline's actions amounted to "sheer cruelty" and that "the hapless passengers were even dubbed as hijackers...this is deplorable and we express strong protest over it."
Passengers also alleged that even women and children were not provided water or refreshments and they started protesting only after there was no word from the crew on when the flight would leave for Kochi.
State police has set up a special team under Assistant Commissioner K S Vimal to ascertain the circumstances that led to the incident and find out if the pilot's charges against the passengers are true.
Based on Wagmore's complaint, police had registered a case against six 'identifiable' passengers and begun investigation by questioning airport staff who were witness to the drama that unfolded at the airport.
During my days in Calicut Apt I had observed the following. * Often there is a mistake from Air India in not informing the passengers abt delays.Somtims its pure negligence but sometimes its due to uncertainity in making alternate arrangements like alt flights/ crew / permission for hotel accomodation. * many passengers or their relatives dont believe or are ignorant of things like low visibility and other technical stuff. * the same passengers wont complain if a foreign airline is diverted.i had seen Oman Air and Air ARabia being diverted on many occassions b4 2010. * Even if food is served the pax still complaints. * A majority wants exss baggage chrges to be waived off. Acceptance of excess bagg. by AI often leads to short landing of bagges due to wght issues. * AI refunds the taxi fare for pasngr coming to collect mishandled baggages.the taxi fare frm his passport address to airport is paid in those case. * ppl take Indian law/ authorities for granted.
Yes,foreign airlines like Oman Air or Air Arabia does divert.But they return to the scheduled airport once cleared or make decent alternate arrangements for the passengers.Excess baggae waivers are requested even by rich passengers,to try their luck.It is a minimal duty of the carrier to refund taxi fare for mishandled baggage,not something Air India does a favour.All airlines do that.There is a clear double standard for Air India towards gulf passengers maybe because most of them are poor,common people using the airline as a budget carrier.There is a powerful lobby intentionally trying to defame Air India and hence promoting other private Indian carriers.
It is wrong to detain a pilot like this and it was unfortunate. It was natural emotional response of public mass when are they treated so badly after being delayed by 7 hours in Abu dhabi and again asking them to go by bus with your own expense from another destination which is 250km far. If it is first time they could have forgiven, but this is the daily schedule of airindia express. of They should have arranged a another flight. Air India express cures should be sent for training for learning at least behavior ethics. They do not treat passengers like human-beings. We are going to completely boycott the flight. It is better to stay in the foreign country rather than fly in Airindia express. Shame on you AIRINDIA...!.
This is a classical case of Air India Express boorish attitude which emanates from those who are at the top of Express. They are a headache to Air India. There are some top brass from the previous ministers time who probably are trying to derail the Air India. So the best thing is to close Express and run Air India only, otherwise the Indian traveling public will start boycotting the national carrier
Why kerala people take Air India at all after knowing their reputation. There is a daily Etihad flight to Kochi and Trivandrum. I would never fly Air India since I had a very bad experience in 2006 while I was flying from USA. Thereafter I take other flights, I never had any problem. My simple advice is BOYCOTT AIR INDIA FOR EVER.
This is the game plan of INDIGO & SPICE JET Airline management joined hands with the corrupted management and staff of Air India to tarnish/destroy national airline to promote their airline to fly in Kerala sectors from Gulf regions Hence, all keralites to boycott using INDIGO & SPICE Airlines even for domestic use
Why kerala people take Air India at all after knowing their reputation. There is a daily Etihad flight to Kochi and Trivandrum. I would never fly Air India since I had a very bad experience in 2006 while I was flying from USA. Thereafter I take other flights, I never had any problem. My simple advice is BOYCOTT AIR INDIA FOR EVER.
If you are a parent, you'll able to know the pain of the person who threatened the pilot. If a 6 month old kid is crying for food, do you go and kiss the lady pilot or ask for a way out? Majority of people who are supporting AI personnel maynt have suffered a single instance from them. Whatever is the case, Its pilot's duty to handle a worst situation inside an Aircraft during the worst times. If she tried to leave the Aircraft by saying, her duty is over....She is not fit for this job.... The entire Kerala are against the AI now. Majority of their flights are flying with vacant seats now.
Most of the people who fly Air India on the Kerala-Gulf sector are the low paid labourer types. Many of them have to save money for months before they can accumulate enough cash even to afford Air India's lowest fare flights. These workers are denied even basic rights in the Gulf and are so desperate for freedom in India that they openly vent their frustrations once they board an Air India flight heading home. The worst of this kind of passengers can be found on flights to Kozhikode from the Gulf. In fact many Air India Express employees hesitate to serve on that route.
little more means 100 to 200% more... sir compare apple with apple. not apple jack fruit..
despite of charging heavy travel charges and causing great troubles blaming hapless passengers is highly condemnable. How can authorities conclude pilot's version is authentic more than 200 passengers lying ???? Keralaites, forgetting all petty politics come under one umbrella to protect the interest of NRKs who's service to kerala is invaluable.
Let anything happen, no body is allowed to barge into the cockpit of flight. Assume If something happens to the pilot, what will be your fate? It is not the question of carriers image.
Part of the problem lies with the passengers also. Everyone knows, nowadays, the reputation of Air India. Inspite of all these, why all the malayalees want to fly Air India? If my information is correct, there is a daily Etihad flight from Abu Dhabi to Kochi and another one to Trivandrum. Why cant the passengers avail that facility even if they have to pay little more?
