Mangaluru bound Air India Express flight yet to leave from Dammam Airport after over 18-hour delay
Mangaluru: Passengers bound for Mangaluru were left stranded and frustrated as an Air India Express flight scheduled to depart from Dammam International Airport faced extensive delays, lasting over 18 hours. The flight, initially set for takeoff at 10:20 pm on Wednesday night, had yet to depart by Thursday evening, prompting complaints from travelers who alleged a lack of communication from the airline.
According to passengers, Air India Express notified them of the flight's cancellation around midnight, promising a rescheduled departure on Thursday morning at 11 am. This unexpected announcement led to significant inconvenience for weary passengers who had been waiting at the airport.
Speaking to Vartha Bharati, one passenger revealed the challenges they faced in arranging accommodation, particularly for those who had traveled from distant locations to catch the flight. The airline reportedly failed to provide any assistance, including arrangements for food or accommodation.
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Adding to the ordeal, passengers arriving at the airport on Thursday morning were allowed to board the flight. However, after half an hour on board, they were unexpectedly deboarded, with the flight experiencing further delays. Passengers claimed that, as of 3 pm (Saudi time), authorities had not provided any updates on the status of their flight.
Expressing frustration, passengers highlighted the lack of responsiveness from Air India Express officials, who allegedly did not address inquiries about the prolonged delay. The situation left women, children, senior citizens, and patients waiting without proper provisions for over 18 hours.
The route from Dammam to Mangaluru is popular among individuals from Coastal Karnataka and neighboring Kerala due to the direct flight connection between the two airports. Vartha Bharati's attempts to reach Air India Express authorities for comments were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. The news will be updated upon receiving an official statement from Air India Express.
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Two people killed as poultry vehicle rams into parked truck in Belagavi
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Two people were killed, and another was severely injured after a goods vehicle transporting poultry birds allegedly rammed into a stationary truck on a national highway in Belagavi in the early hours of Tuesday, police said.
The deceased have been identified as Wasim (28) and Mubarak (22), both natives of Shivamogga district, they said.
The driver of the vehicle, Basavaraj Eerappa Hanchinamani (37), suffered critical injuries and has been admitted to a hospital, police said.
According to police, the accident occurred when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, allegedly due to drowsiness, and crashed into a truck parked along the highway.
The goods vehicle was en route from Kolhapur to Sorab in Shivamogga district, carrying poultry. Several chickens were also killed in the impact, a senior police officer said.
Police personnel from the Hirebagewadi Police Station visited the spot and conducted an inspection.
Injured people and the bodies of the deceased were shifted to a hospital, police added.
