JAIPUR: The series of controversies surrounding Air India shows no signs of slowing down. In the latest incident, Air India flight AI-926, operating from Riyadh to Delhi, was unexpectedly diverted to Jaipur late on Sunday night, reportedly due to lack of landing clearance at Delhi airport. The situation took a dramatic turn when the pilot, citing the end of his duty hours, refused to continue the journey, leaving passengers stranded inside the aircraft for nearly three hours.
Chaos unfolded at Jaipur International Airport’s Terminal-1, where the flight landed at 12:55 am. Passengers were initially moved to the arrival area, but soon after, the pilot exited, stating that his permissible flying hours had ended. With no alternate crew available, the airline arranged for passengers to be transported to Delhi by bus.
The announcement of the bus transfer sparked outrage among passengers, many of whom began protesting and alleging poor treatment by airline staff. It took considerable effort to calm the agitated crowd before they agreed to travel by road. Several passengers missed their connecting flights due to the delay, further adding to their frustration.
“The behavior of the staff on board was extremely poor. We weren’t even offered food throughout the night. This kind of treatment reflects very poorly on Air India. Many of us are now thinking of boycotting the airline in the future,” said one of the affected passengers.
Responding to the incident, Air India issued a statement on its official X handle (formerly Twitter), saying:
"We deeply regret the inconvenience caused. The diversion to Jaipur was due to bad weather in Delhi, which was beyond the airline's control. Our team is assisting all passengers and has arranged alternate transport. We hope for your understanding and the opportunity to serve you better in future."
This is not the first such incident involving the national carrier. On November 18, 2024, a similar situation occurred when an Air India flight from Paris to Delhi was diverted to Jaipur. In that case, too, the pilot exited citing completion of duty hours, leaving over 180 passengers stranded at the airport for nine hours before they were eventually sent to Delhi by road.