An Air India flight from Paris to New Delhi was diverted due to smog in Delhi and the pilots’ inability to perform low-visibility landings, according to reports.
The flight AI-2022 departed from Paris at 10pm on Sunday and was originally set to arrive in New Delhi at 10.35am on Monday. However, it was diverted to Jaipur – in the neighbouring state of Rajasthan – that morning due to smog in the capital, as the pilots were not certified for low-visibility landings, according to the sources.
The situation worsened when the pilots refused to continue flying, citing fatigue and Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations which lay down guidelines on rest and specify how many hours a pilot can fly in a year, NDTV reported.
Air India did not issue an official statement, but sources quoted by the outlet indicated that arranging an alternative flight would have taken more time than transporting the passengers to Delhi by bus. The airline sent passengers to the national capital by bus from Jaipur angering travellers, including those with infants.
“Shameful and pathetic management from @airindia today as flight #AI2022 from CDG-DEL diverted to JAI. Pax stranded at JAI asked to spend 5 hrs inside the aircraft and then to take a bus from JAI to DEL. My wife and two months old is suffering and I am helpless,” Vishal P, a passenger on the flight wrote on X.
Many others criticised the Tata-owned carrier’s management for not arranging an alternative flight to Delhi.
Giridhara Upadhayaya, another passenger, wrote on X: “@airindia is not helping passengers from Paris to Bengaluru stranded in Jaipur since 12 noon. There is a mother with 2 months baby and they are not in the mood to assist. Very inhuman staff…(sic).”
The Independent has reached out to Air India for a comment.
Meanwhile, the toxic smog engulfing Delhi has been visible from space as satellite images captured the Indian national capital’s “severe” air pollution crisis recently.
