A Nepal-bound Air India Express flight experienced an 18-hour delay at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, causing widespread frustration among passengers. Videos from Terminal 2 showed travellers, many embarking on a planned 10-day tour of Nepal, raising slogans against the airline near the immigration area. Passengers alleged that poor communication regarding revised departure times intensified the chaos and uncertainty.
Officials confirmed that approximately 180 passengers were affected by the delay. The flight, originally scheduled to depart Bengaluru for Kathmandu at 10:30 am on Thursday, reportedly returned without landing due to circumstances passengers said were unclear. When the same aircraft attempted the journey the following morning, it was again diverted, this time to Lucknow, further aggravating traveller frustration.
Exhausted and stranded, passengers staged a protest inside the aircraft before being flown back to Bengaluru. Upon arrival, some continued their protest at the airport, demanding clearer communication and accountability from the airline. The incident highlighted the challenges faced by travellers when flight disruptions occur, especially on international routes with limited alternatives.
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Air India Express cited “bad weather” in Kathmandu as the reason for both diversions. In a statement, the airline said, “Due to adverse weather in Kathmandu, our Bengaluru-Kathmandu flights on 26 and 27 February were diverted. An additional flight operated today to recover guests from yesterday's disrupted service was also diverted for the same reason.”
The airline added that affected passengers had been provided hotel accommodations and offered the option of complimentary rescheduling or a full-refund cancellation. “An additional recovery flight is planned tomorrow to accommodate these guests,” the spokesperson said, stressing that the disruptions were due to factors beyond the airline’s control.
The incident underscores the impact of weather-related flight disruptions on passengers and airport operations. For many travellers from Karnataka, the delay disrupted carefully planned itineraries, causing inconvenience and prompting public demonstrations. Airport authorities and airlines are now tasked with balancing passenger safety with timely communication to minimise such situations in the future.
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