Raipur: A technical snag in an Air India flight arriving from Delhi led to a tense hour-long delay at Raipur airport, leaving around 160 passengers, including a sitting MLA, stranded inside the aircraft with no immediate explanation.
Flight AI 2797 departed Delhi at 8.15 p.m. and landed at Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda Airport at 10.05 p.m. on Sunday. However, upon touchdown, the aircraft’s door failed to open due to what airline staff later described as a “technical fault”.
Passengers remained confined inside the plane until after 11.00 p.m., sparking confusion and concern.
Among those onboard was Atal Srivastava, Congress MLA from Kota constituency in Bilaspur district.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the cabin crew initially offered no clear explanation, leading to growing unease among passengers.
“There was no communication for a while. People were anxious, especially after recent aviation incidents,” said one passenger, referring to the recent plane crash in Ahmedabad that has heightened public sensitivity around air safety.
The situation reportedly escalated when passengers noticed a halt in power supply within the aircraft, further fuelling speculation of a malfunction. However, Air India officials later clarified that the delay was part of a routine security drill and not a safety breach.
The explanation, however, did little to pacify passengers who had already endured an hour of uncertainty.
Airport authorities confirmed that no injuries or medical emergencies occurred during the delay, and all passengers eventually disembarked safely.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has not issued a formal statement on the incident as of Monday afternoon.
This marks yet another instance of technical irregularity involving Air India flights in recent months, raising questions about operational readiness and passenger communication protocols.
While the airline maintains that safety was never compromised, the incident has reignited concerns over the handling of in-flight disruptions and the psychological toll on passengers.
As air travel rebounds post-pandemic, aviation authorities may face increasing pressure to ensure not just mechanical reliability but also transparent and timely communication with passengers during unexpected delays.
(IANS)
