Heavy Smog Forces Air India's Paris-Delhi Flight Diversion to Jaipur, Flyers Sent by Bus

Flyers vent their anger on social media over the airlines' unpreparedness to provide for alternative arrangements during contingency and termed it as a 'pathetic arrangement'.

New Delhi: Passengers aboard Air India's Paris-New Delhi flight AI-2022 encountered a harrowing ordeal on Monday after the aircraft was diverted to Jaipur due to low visibility in the national capital. The diversion, caused by dense smog over Delhi, left passengers stranded as pilots refused to continue flying, citing duty hour limitations.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regulations on Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) mandate rest periods for pilots to prevent fatigue-related safety issues. The rules allow flight duty timings to be extended by up to four hours under special circumstances, but they cannot exceed eight hours under any condition. These measures aim to enhance aviation safety by prioritizing pilot well-being. As the flight awaited clearance to proceed to Delhi, the pilots’ duty hours expired, forcing the airlines to transport passengers to the capital via bus instead of arranging another flight.

The flight which departed from Paris on Sunday at 10 pm was scheduled to land in Delhi at 10:35 am on Monday. However, the pilots were reportedly not trained for low-visibility landings, necessitating the diversion.

Passenger Vents Anger

The situation led to chaos at Jaipur Airport, with passengers voicing frustration over what they described as Air India’s "pathetic management". Many were forced to remain on the aircraft for up to five hours before being informed about the alternative arrangement.

"Shameful and pathetic management from Air India today… My wife and two-month-old baby are suffering, and I am helpless," a miffed flyer, Vishal P, posted on X.

Another user highlighted the lack of assistance from the airline, describing the situation as "inhuman". Passengers expressed disappointment over the airlines' inability to provide proactive arrangements to handle such contingencies. "Neither FDTL nor Delhi’s bad weather were new to the airline… This highlights the lack of proactiveness and decision-making capabilities of the management,” a flyer said.

Air India’s Response

While Air India is yet to issue an official statement, reports suggest that arranging another flight was deemed infeasible as it would have taken longer than the bus journey. Despite protests, the passengers were eventually transported to Delhi by road. The incident underscores concerns over preparedness and crisis management in the aviation sector, with many flyers demanding better contingency planning to address weather-related disruptions effectively.

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