Air India Express flight delayed by over 10 hours due to pilot's absence

Chennai, Sep 22 : An Air India Express flight from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur was delayed by over ten hours as the pilot did not turn up for his duty at the Anna International Airport here.

Airport sources said 146 passengers were waiting to board the flight after completing all the security checks. The flight was scheduled to leave for Malaysia at 0000 hrs last night. Even one hour after the departure time, the passengers were not allowed to board, though the flight was ready.

When the passengers protested, officials informed them that the pilot had not turned up for duty and arrangements were being made to engage a spare pilot to operate the flight. As the agonising wait continued, the passengers grew restive and at around 0230 hrs picked up yet another argument with the authorities, who announced that the flight would leave at 1000 hrs this morning. All the passengers were accommodated in hotels and the flight left at 1030 hrs this morning after a delay of more than ten hours.

http://www.newkerala.com