Nearly 400 people onboard a 14-hour Singapore-London Qantas flight were forced to spend two days in the same clothes in scorching Delhi heat, after the plane made an unscheduled landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport due to a technical snag yesterday.
Sydney, Mar 3 : Nearly 400 people onboard a 14-hour Singapore-London Qantas flight were forced to spend two days in the same clothes in scorching Delhi heat, after the plane made an unscheduled landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport due to a technical snag yesterday.
The passengers were forced to sit in the aircraft for nearly six hours, as the airline authorities negotiated with Indian customs and immigration staff to allow its passengers to be put up in hotels.
They even denied the passengers access to their luggage, before shifting them different hotels in the Indian Capital.
Passengers, who are still awaiting flights out of New Delhi, said that not having access to baggage was really "disappointing" for them.
"Passengers were required to remain on the plane for over six hours, while Qantas tried to negotiate with customs and immigration staff to allow the passengers to be put up in hotels. We have still not been able get our baggage, so being in the same clothes for over two days in the Indian heat is becoming uncomfortable," the news.com.au quoted the unidentified passenger as saying.
He added: "The majority of passengers are still in New Delhi and are unaware of any arrangements to fly them to their destinations. The biggest disappointment from this whole experience is the lack of information coming from Qantas. Once we were herded off the plane, we were shipped off to hotels. And even through repeated calls to Qantas in Australia, the UK and India, no information was forthcoming."
Qantas engineering manager David Cox told NEWS.com.au that a replacement plane was on its way to New Delhi. "The aircraft was diverted to Delhi due to technical problems with one of its engines," Cox added.
ANI