KOCHI:The travel plans of more than 150 passengers, who waited at the Cochin International Airport to depart for Kolkata on Friday, went for a toss after the aircraft they boarded, developed a technical snag and the flight was cancelled.
IndiGo flight (6E 172), which was scheduled to take off at 10.45 am and fly via Bangalore, was cancelled just minutes before its take-off. Following the cancellation, the passengers were forced to spend several hours at the airport.
“A crew member during his routine inspection detected a technical glitch. Following this, the flight was cancelled,” said an airport officer.The passengers, who turned clueless about their onward journey, started staging a protest. Though the airport authorities asked them to get down from the aircraft, they remained seated and demanded an alternate solution.
“The wanted an immediate alternative arrangement. They protested by continuing to sit in their seats. However, after nearly half an hour, they relented, with the airline authorities promising quick action,” said a spokesperson.The passengers were then accommodated in other flights in small batches. “The last of the commuters left by 6 pm,” he said.