TRUMP VISIT LED TO AHD-MUMBAI FLIGHT DELAY, SAYS GOAIR

MUMBAI: A Mumbai-bound Goair flight from Ahmedabad was delayed for two hours on Monday morning. The airline said the delay was due to US President Donald Trump’s arrival in Ahmedabad.

The flight, which was to depart from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 9.25am, left at 11.30am.

Flight G8 459, comprising 180 passengers on board, arrived in Mumbai at around 12.17pm. The crew informed passengers that the delay was due to the unavailability of a pilot.

However, the Goair spokesperson gave a different reason for the delay. He said, “The flight was delayed due to US President- Donald Trump’s visit.”

Abhishek Chopra, one of the passengers on board said, “The airline ground staff told us that the flight was delayed as there were no pilots available. When asked about the pilots who operated the incoming flight, the staff said that they were to operate a Mangalore-bound flight and left for the same.”

Security officials from Ahmedabad airport said that the passengers were furious when they learnt that they will have to wait for another flight to land, after which their flight will get pilots to fly them to Mumbai.

“The airline staff at the airport told us that our flight will be able to push back only once the Bangalore flight lands, as pilots from that aircraft were to fly us to Mumbai,” said Chopra.

The airline had issued an advisory to passengers to leave home earlier than their normal time as there were traffic diversions on roads due to Trump’s arrival.

The advisory stated, “You are requested to keep three hours in hand before the scheduled departure of your flights and carry hard copy of your flight details for the police and airport authorities to facilitate your travel towards the airport.”

The airline had also informed its customers that no accompanying person would be permitted in and around the airport premises.

THE FLIGHT WHICH WAS TO DEPART FROM THE AHMEDABAD AIRPORT AT 9.25AM LEFT AT 11.30AM