Air India pilot deserts plane on Jaipur runway, leaves 48 passengers stranded

Written By Abhishek Tiwari | Updated: Nov 10, 2017, 07:49 AM IST

Airport authorities confirmed the incident, but refused to comment on it saying it is a matter concerning the airline.

Declaring that his working hours were over, an Air India pilot abandoned the plane on the runway at Jaipur airport on Wednesday night, leaving 48 passengers stranded

Flight 9I 644 was meant to fly from Lucknow to Delhi, going via Jaipur. It was supposed to arrive at Jaipur airport at 9 pm, but it was delayed and arrived only at about 1:30 am. Due to the smog at the capital and other technical issues at Delhi airport, it couldn't take off till 2 am.

When it finally moved to the take-off point, the plane halted there again for 30 more minutes. At this point, the pilot declared that his shift was over and left the plane, said a source at the airport. Some of the 48 flummoxed passengers were sent to Delhi by bus early on Thursday morning, while others were accommodated in a hotel and flown up later.

Airport authorities confirmed the incident, but refused to comment on it saying it is a matter concerning the airline. The airline staff on duty would also not comment on the bizarre incident, directed the media to the offices of the air line. There too the buck was passed: "We do not know. Such matters come under the Roster department of the airline in Delhi," said one employee.

Meanwhile the aircraft was left standing at Jaipur airport till Thursday evening, say sources

Stranded

  • Expected at 9 pm, flight 9I 644 arrived at Jaipur at 1.30 am
  • Some passengers were sent to Delhi by bus; others were sent to a hotel nearby