Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A Bhopal-Mumbai flight was cancelled at Raja Bhoj Airport on Sunday, which affected 178 passengers including three infants.
According to the airport administration, Air India flight AI-633 (Mumbai to Bhopal) reported a technical problem to Air Traffic Control (ATC) during the journey. All prescribed safety protocols were activated immediately, and seamless coordination was ensured between ATC, airline ground operations, CISF and the fire and rescue team of the airport.
The flight, carrying 175 people (166 passengers and nine crew) on board, landed safely at Bhopal airport at 3.20 pm. All necessary assistance was extended by the airport and airline teams as per the requirement of the flight crew.
Due to the technical issue, the aircraft was declared not serviceable. As a precautionary measure, the return flight AI-634 (Bhopal to Mumbai) was cancelled to facilitate detailed inspection and rectification in accordance with standard safety procedures. Passengers claimed the flight departure was scheduled for 1.40 pm but it landed at 4 pm before being cancelled, leading to significant inconvenience.
Airport director Ramji Awasthi said, "Eighty-six passengers opted for a refund while 81 passengers were rescheduled for the next day. One passenger was accommodated on an alternative airline (IndiGo) and eight passengers were provided hotel accommodation. Transport arrangements were made for two passengers."
