Kozhikode bound AI express flight from Dubai delayed, passengers stranded inside jet for hours
Kozhikode: A Kozhikode bound Air India Express flight from Dubai was reportedly delayed, leaving passengers stranded inside the aircraft for 4 hours before being informed that their journey had been cancelled, reported Madhyama Online.
According to the report, the flight was slated to depart Dubai airport at 9:00 am, and began boarding around 8:15 am.
However, soon after boarding, passengers complained of escalating discomfort inside the cabin with no air-conditioning and little communication from the airline.
By 12:15 pm, passengers were finally asked to deboard. Videos circulating on social media show passengers fanning themselves with safety cards and trying to get relief by adjusting air vents and overhead fans. Around 1:00 pm, they were taken back to the terminal.
Quoting a spokesperson from Air India Express, Khaleej Times reported, “A technical snag was noticed on one of our aircraft, after boarding in Dubai. The aircraft’s air-conditioning system was fully functional, and an additional ground air-conditioning unit was also arranged. The systems were briefly switched off as per standard protocols while maintenance teams were working to resolve the issue.”
Air-Passengers’ Rights & Aviation Justice, Advocate Dr. P.A. Hameed Padubidri, commenting on the issue stated that “Welcome aboard AI Express-where passengers melt, not fly!”
He added, “Passengers aboard Flight IX-346 were left boiling inside the aircraft as the AC system completely failed. With outside temperatures nearing 40°C, the cabin became suffocating and unbearable.”
Dr. Hameed further stated,“Passengers, including children, the elderly, and those with medical needs, were forced to remain in suffocating conditions for over four hours, only to be informed later that the flight had been cancelled. The repeated failure of basic service standards is unacceptable.”
Dr. Hameed also pointed out that a similar incident occurred just three days earlier on Flight IX-196 from Dubai to Jaipur, calling it a disturbing pattern of negligence. “These are no longer isolated technical glitches. They pose a serious threat to passenger health, dignity, and safety. The DGCA must intervene immediately and take strict action. ‘Force Majeure’ cannot be invoked in every instance, TATA Group and Air India Express must take note. Passengers deserve dignity, not distress,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a separate Air India Express flight, IX‑523 from Thiruvananthapuram to Abu Dhabi, also faced delays. Scheduled for a 1:15 PM departure, it finally took off at 2:40 PM. As of Friday afternoon, the airline has not announced any compensation or alternative arrangements for affected passengers.
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Bihar: Woman alleges gang rape in ambulance after fainting during govt recruitment exam
Gayaji (PTI): A woman here has alleged that she was gang-raped inside an ambulance which drove her to a hospital after she fainted during a government recruitment test, police said on Saturday.
Two persons, identified by the complainant who had appeared at a recruitment drive for home guards, have been arrested, they said.
"When the woman fainted, on July 24, she was rushed to the Anugrah Narain Medical College and Hospital at Gayaji in an ambulance. After she regained consciousness, she alleged that she was raped inside the vehicle," said SP (Town), Gayaji Ramanand Kumar Kaushal.
"We thereafter detained the driver and a technician who were in the ambulance. The woman also identified them. Their reply was not satisfactory, so they were arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita," he added.
Kaushal said the medical examination of the complainant has been completed, and based on the findings of the reports, further action will be taken.
Meanwhile, the incident drew strong criticism from Union minister Chirag Paswan, who supports the NDA government in the state, as well as the opposition.
Before leaving for Gayaji to address a rally, Paswan told reporters in Patna, "The incident is deplorable. The guilty may have been caught, but the administration is obviously unable to prevent such crimes. The situation is scary, and I regret that I am supporting a regime that is incapable of controlling law and order."
Leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, shared on X a news clipping of the incident with the hashtag "vote out of power the Nitish Kumar government to protect the girl child (Nitish sarkar Hatao beti bachao).
The RJD leader also alleged that Bihar was under the "rule of demons (rakshas raj)" and accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and "his two so-called deputies" of a "criminal silence" on such incidents.
State Congress president Rajesh Kumar alleged, "The incident at Gayaji is reflective of a collapse in law and order, which is not surprising given the unruly behaviour of the ruling dispensation as witnessed in the recently held assembly session. Our party is committed to ensuring that the girl gets justice."
