Dum Dum: Two AirAsia flights from Delhi to Ranchi and Bagdogra were diverted to Calcutta on Friday afternoon, leaving nearly 300 passengers stranded.
The flight to Ranchi could not land because of "unusual congestion" at the airport, while the Bagdogra flight developed a technical snag.
More than 100 Ranchi-bound fliers remained stranded at Calcutta airport, where they landed at 2.20pm, till late evening, airport officials said. They finally left for Ranchi at night, sources said.
The 175 passengers on the Delhi-Bagdogra flight were sent to Bagdogra in less than two hours.
"There was a problem in the nosewheel of the aircraft that forced the pilot to divert it to Calcutta from Bagdogra," an airport official said.
The Bagdogra-bound passengers were flown to the north Bengal destination from Calcutta in the aircraft that had been diverted from Ranchi. The congestion had not yet eased in Ranchi and so the passengers to Jharkhand capital were kept on wait while the other aircraft, the one that developed a snag while going to Bagdogra, was repaired, airport sources said.
Several Ranchi-bound passengers were allegedly angry with the airline because of the delay.
"AirAsia India would like to confirm that two flights this afternoon were diverted to Calcutta. Flight i5 767 from New Delhi to Bagdogra was diverted to Calcutta owing to a technical requirement. Another flight i5 545 from New Delhi to Ranchi was diverted to Calcutta owing to unusual congestion at Ranchi," an AirAsia spokesperson said.
"The flight to Bagdogra departed with a total delay of less than two hours. Guests bound for Ranchi are being offered alternate arrangements by the airline staff. The aircraft that is currently grounded in Calcutta is undergoing recovery. AirAsia deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to guests on account of the delay but would like to reinstate that the airline always prioritises safety above all," the spokesperson said in a statement.