AirAsia pilot puts ‘AC on full blast’ to deplane passengers

GUWAHATI/MUMBAI: Some passengers on an AirAsia India flight from Kolkata to Bagdogra got into an altercation with airline staff over deplaning them after the flight was delayed by over four hours, a passenger claimed.

Indian Oil Corporation executive director (West Bengal) Dipankar Ray, who was travelling in the same flight, complained of very “unprofessional and rude” behaviour from the airline staff.

“The flight was scheduled to depart at 9 am and was initially delayed by 30 minutes. After boarding, we kept sitting inside the aircraft for one-and-a-half hours with no food or water at all,” Ray told PTI.

The flight captain then instructed all passengers to deboard without any explanation, he added.

“When passengers refused to deboard due to heavy rains outside, the captain put the air-conditioning blower on full blast to hound the passengers out. It created a scary scene as heavy fog was created inside the plane and it was very suffocating,” Ray said. He added many women passengers started vomiting and children were crying.

In a video that he uploaded on his Facebook profile, it was seen that passengers were arguing with on-board staff to switch off the blower.

AirAsia India issued a statement and accepted that the flight was delayed and expressed regrets. “AirAsia India would like to confirm that flight i5583 from Kolkata to Bagdogra was delayed by 4.5 hours due to a technical requirement. AirAsia regrets the inconvenience caused to guests on account of this disruption and would like to reinstate that the airline always prioritises safety above all,” the company said.