IndiGo Mumbai-Istanbul flight cancelled due to glitch, airline provides alternative aircraft
Mumbai, Dec 28: Domestic carrier IndiGo on Saturday said it has arranged an alternative aircraft to fly the stranded passengers after its Mumbai-Istanbul flight of December 28, scheduled to depart at 6.55 am, had to be cancelled due to a technical glitch.
The long delay prompted some of the passengers to vent their anger on social media. No food or even water was served and there was no representative from the airline willing to listen to their grievances, some passengers claimed.
The alternative aircraft will depart for Istanbul at 11 pm, the airline said in a statement.
"We regret that our flight 6E17, originally scheduled to operate from Mumbai to Istanbul, faced a delay due to technical issues. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to rectify the issue and dispatch it to the destination, we eventually had to cancel the flight," IndiGo said in a statement.
"Mumbai to Istanbul journey suspended after 10 hours waiting by passengers. Information that there are around 100 passengers in this journey and the number of students is large. Kids are crying at the airport, no resolution from authorities," said a passenger in his post on X, also tagging Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol.
"There are 500 passengers who have been scammed by continuous delays and eventual cancellation. All passengers have not been served any food or water. There is no representative from indigo willing to listen to grievances," said another passenger in his post.
IndiGo, however, said its teams were "working hard" to provide support to the affected customers, keeping them informed and arranging accommodation, meal vouchers and full refunds.
#Indigo's Mumbai to Istanbul journey suspended after 10 hours waiting by passengers. Information that there are around 100 passengers in this journey and the number of students is large.
— Ajay Mane (@ajaymane2995) December 28, 2024
Kids are crying at the airport, no resolution from authorities.@IndiGo6E @mohol_murlidhar pic.twitter.com/wpiIW1dfXK
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
