Air India Express station manager says the flight from Dubai was delayed due to weather constraints
Higher official is “Unaware of any such incident”
Mangaluru: The Air-India station manager of Mangaluru has cited ‘weather constraints’ for the delay of Dubai-Mangaluru flight on Thursday. Due to the delay, the passengers of Mangaluru bound Air India Express flight IX-814 were made to wait for more than six hours for the flight to take off at the Dubai International Airport on Thursday.
The passengers who had booked their ticket to fly to Mangaluru International Airport on 27 March, and were scheduled to take off from Dubai at 11.40 pm, took off at 6.00 am on 28 March and reached Mangaluru at 10.30 am. A six hours delay from the scheduled time.
The passengers who were made to sit and wait on the flight throughout the night expressed their dissent and anguish over the incident and blamed the in-flight staff for being ‘rude’ to the passengers.
“They did not even provide water for us to drink all this while. We were treated unethically and were kept misinformed about the delay until very late. There was a passenger who was coming to attend the funeral of his brother, they assured him that there will only be one or two hour delay but in reality they delayed us by more than six hours” one of the passenger told Vartha Bharati after the flight landed at Mangaluru International Airport after
“Initially, when we checked in at the airport, we were told that the flight is delayed for one hour. It is normal and we were fine with it. But we were not provided any information about the flight by anyone when it went in excess of the time. We were told at 3.45 that the flight will take off at 5.30 am” he added.
Speaking to Vartha Bharati, the station manager at Air India Express office in Mangaluru added that it was due to weather that the flight was delayed. He said “The flight which went from here, and had to start its return journey from Dubai at 11.40 had to land at Sharjah Airport due to weather constraints. In such a scenario we can’t take the flight immediately to Dubai when the weather is cleared. There is a lot of paperwork that goes in and it takes time. And that is what caused the delay”.
He however refused to comment further on the issue and shared contact of higher authority Mr. Prageesh, based in Kochi and who was authorized to comment on behalf of the Air India Express.
When contacted, Prageesh replied that he was on a ‘long leave’ and he was unaware of any such incident.
“I am not in touch with the office from last few days as I’ am on a long leave. So I don’t have any update regarding the incident” he also failed to provide an alternate contact who can be contacted to get the official statement of the flight operating company.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
