Saturday, September 17, 2011

Air India flight makes ‘emergency landing’ in Salalah

The Air India (A-I) Express flight from the south Indian state of Kerala, with nearly 150 passengers on board, made ‘emergency landing’ at one end of the runways and was towed to the remote bay.

The passengers were later transported from the remote bay to the terminal. The flight, which was scheduled to return to India yesterday itself at 12:50pm, has been cancelled.

One of the passengers travelling in the aircraft told Times of Oman that the ACs were switched off an hour before the emergency landing and an announcement was made that the plane was going to make a “risky landing”.

An Air India official in Oman confirmed that some technical problems had occurred to the flight.

“So it had to make an emergency landing at 11:50am. In such emergency situations, the flight is taxied to the remote bay and the passengers are transported from there, which is a standard procedure. The engineering department is working to resolve the technical snag. By tomorrow (Saturday), we’ll be able to solve the problem and fly back,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Salalah airport officials were ready with all kinds of safety measures to meet any kind of emergency situation. Fire engines, water tankers, ambulances and a well-equipped emergency team were present at the scene.

“A few minutes before the landing, we were alerted by the crew about the situation. There was a little trouble during the landing,” Ashraf, a passenger of the flight, told Times of Oman.

“After landing at one end of the runways, we were told to wait around 45 minutes before disembarking. From there we were transported to the terminal. Only after coming out of the plane and seeing the security and safety preparations, did we realise that the situation was serious.”

The passengers who were supposed to fly back to India on the same flight were an annoyed lot.

“First, the Air India officials denied accommodation and food to us. They were telling us to go back home. How is it possible? If we go back, how can we reach airport on time when the plane is ready. Later, after hours of discussions, they have now offered us accommodation and food,” a passenger said.

“The airline’s officials have informed us that the equipment required to sort out the technical snag will be flown in to Muscat from India on Jet Airways. Later, it will be flown to Salalah from Muscat. Once the equipment arrives, it will not take more than 30 minutes to resolve the issue,” he added.

According to sources, around 150 passengers had booked their tickets on the flight.

Meanwhile, some of the passengers who were leaving the Sultanate after cancelling their employment visas and some others who
had come on visit visas landed in big trouble.

“As our visa has been cancelled we are not supposed to leave the airport premises. But thankfully we were allowed to go out of the airport and stay in a hotel,” a passenger said, while expressing his gratitude to the airline and Immigration officials. There are 17 passengers with cancelled visas.

http://www.timesofoman.com

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