An Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco, AI183, made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia on July 18th after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. The aircraft landed safely with all 225 passengers and 19 crew members on board. However, the incident has sparked outrage among passengers who claim they have been left stranded at the airport with little to no information, food, or accommodation.
Several passengers took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their grievances, sharing images and videos of their predicament. One user complained about the lack of care for the affected passengers, stating that they felt stranded with no food, information, or updates. Another user, whose ailing mother was on board the flight, expressed concern about her medication and essentials being in the luggage cargo. The user highlighted the plight of elderly passengers who had been without updates for over eight hours.
Further criticism was directed at Air India for allegedly not providing any hotel accommodation for the affected passengers. A user claimed that they were kept at the airport with no information on alternative flights.
In response to the complaints, Air India announced that a ferry flight from Mumbai to Krasnoyarsk (AI1179) was scheduled to arrive at 2000 hours (local time) on July 19th. The flight is carrying extra food and other essentials for the passengers, along with an Air India team including crew and security personnel. The airline also stated that they have been arranging for third party staff and are in touch with government authorities to provide necessary assistance to the passengers.
Despite these statements, passengers continue to express dissatisfaction with the handling of the situation. The incident highlights the importance of clear communication, timely assistance, and effective management of unexpected events in air travel.
