Bird-hit plane being repaired, expected to take off from Kannur in afternoon

"Of the 85, 24 were foreign bound passengers and they were sent to their respective destinations in Dubai and Bahrain on Air India Express flights yesterday and this morning. Now 61 domestic passengers are presently here and they would be sent to Delhi on the same plane once it is repaired," the official said.

Kannur (Ker): A Delhi-bound plane that was forced to land at the Kannur International Airport a day ago due to bird-hit, is expected to leave for the national capital, after repairs, by Tuesday afternoon. An Air India official at the airport told PTI that of the total 135 passengers, some had cancelled their tickets and took an Indigo flight, while some others had re-scheduled their travel leaving around 85 persons who were accommodated in hotels in Kannur.

"Of the 85, 24 were foreign bound passengers and they were sent to their respective destinations in Dubai and Bahrain on Air India Express flights yesterday and this morning. Now 61 domestic passengers are presently here and they would be sent to Delhi on the same plane once it is repaired," the official said.

The official also said that seven engineers arrived here from Delhi and they are presently examining and repairing the aircraft's engines which had remains of the birds which hit it. After the repair work is completed, they will carry out engine run-ups to ascertain if the aircraft was flight worthy and if all goes well, the flight is tentatively scheduled to take-off at 1.30 PM, he said.

"It could also be later than that," he added. The airport SHO also confirmed these developments and told PTI that the flight will take off only after it is certified fit to fly. The flight with 135 passengers had originated from Kozhikode and landed in the Kannur airport before flying to Delhi. (PTI)