Around 250 passengers, including several Indians and British nationals, have been stranded for over 40 hours at Turkey's Diyarbakir Airport. The incident happened after a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Mumbai was forced to make an emergency landing on April 2.
The situation has led to passengers' distress, with many claiming lack of facilities at the terminal.
According to an Indian Express report, a passenger named Sumit Sheth said, “We were jolted as the plane hit the runway. There was no representative from Virgin Atlantic to guide us. The Turkish airport staff couldn’t speak English or Hindi, making communicating extremely difficult. We are stuck, confused, and helpless.”
Some of the passengers took to X and said they were stuck without sufficient food for hours. They were initially given just a sandwich and a water bottle. Some of them said they relied on dry snacks and chocolates for the next 24 hours.
A passenger, Hanuman Dass, alleged all Virgin Atlantic staff headed to a hotel, and left everyone with just a text message.
"It's now been 30 hours since Virgin Atlantic flight left London and we are appalled at the lack of humanity and treatment of Indian and British citizens. My wife and kids have one pillow between three people and no blankets and have been sitting in a confined space with 300 people," Dass said.
X user Satyam Surana, wrote: "@VirginAtlantic has brutally failed to give any substantial update & support to the stranded passengers. Women, senior citizens, babies, everyone is stranded and frustrated."
"It’s been 24 hours and not a single airline representative has met the passengers. They have barely any food, one toilet amongst 275 pax, phones running out of batteries as they don’t have Turkish adapters. There are babies, pregnant women, diabetics and old people in this ordeal," wrote AAP leader Preeti Sharma-Menon on X, requesting government intervention. Her sister and niece took that flight.
The Indian Embassy in Turkey said it is in contact with the airport and other authorities.
"The Embassy of India, Ankara is in constant communication with Virgin Atlantic Airlines, Diyarbakir Airport Directorate, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkiye," it posted on X. "Through the Mission’s coordination, appropriate care is being extended to the passengers. We are in discussion with the related authorities for the early resolution of the issue and the arrangement of an alternate flight to Mumbai for the stranded passengers."
Passengers said Virgin Atlantic offered to reimburse travellers if they found their own way to Istanbul — nearly 1,400 kilometres away — and from there, onward to Mumbai. But alternate travel options are limited, and no commercial flights operate directly from Diyarbakir to India.
Virgin Atlantic reacts
Virgin Atlantic said Thursday that it was considering all possible solutions, including deploying an alternative aircraft, to fly passengers to Mumbai.
In a statement, the airline explained that flight VS358, which was en route from London Heathrow to Mumbai on April 2, was cancelled after an urgent medical diversion to Diyarbakır, Turkey.
Upon arrival at the airport, the A350-1000 aircraft faced a technical issue, which is being addressed.
The airline spokesperson also said that passengers were being provided with overnight hotel accommodations and refreshments in Turkey, while it worked towards a resolution.
Virgin Atlantic, founded by Sir Richard Branson in 1984, began as a joint venture between Randolph Fields and Alan Hellary, aiming to offer a different and better customer experience in the airline industry, starting with a single aircraft and a focus on innovation and customer service.
Some negative reviews of Virgin Atlantic in Google mention cramped seating, especially in economy, with issues like narrow seats, limited storage, and uncomfortable beds in the business class. Other complaints include flight cancellations, rude service, and a decline in overall quality.