TBM Staff - Mumbai The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought a report from Air India after it operated a scheduled flight to fly out India’s victorious T20 World Cup team from Barbados.
DGCA’s step came following reports that the airline pulled out its Boeing 777 originally scheduled to operate a regular flight from Newark to Delhi for the trip out of Barbados, causing difficulties for passengers.
At least two DGCA officials confirmed the move. “The regulator has asked Air India to provide a report to establish the facts,” one of the DGCA officials close to the matter said.
The Air India spokesperson remained unavailable for a comment.
An airline official in the know of the matter said, “The airline that was originally to fly the Indian cricket team had to cancel after which Air India was approached by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This is when B777 was identified for the task.”
He however clarified that no passengers were stranded at the Newark airport. “All the passengers booked in the Newark-Delhi flight were informed well in advance and even given an alternative, minimising the inconvenience caused.”
“Even after this, some passengers could not be informed about the flight cancellation as a result of which they turned up at the airport. They were, however, taken to New York by road and were accommodated in the New York-Delhi flight,” the official added.
