More than 120 passengers were stranded at the Nedumbassery airport in Ernakulam district after the cancellation of their Saudia Airlines flight to Riyadh, on Saturday, September 23. The flight was scheduled to depart from Nedumbassery airport at around 8.25 pm on Saturday but was suddenly cancelled citing technical issues. After a night long stay at the airport, the passengers were provided food and accommodation in multiple hotels in the city.
According to reports, the passengers boarded the flight on Saturday night, following which there was an issue with a door. The passengers were deboarded and were told that the technical issue will be sorted in a while. However, three hours later, the flight authorities asked the passengers to stay over in a hotel. Several passengers insisted on returning to Riyadh immediately and waited at the airport. Finally, they went to their hotel rooms in the morning.
Speaking to TNM on September 24 morning, a passenger said that they were still waiting for a communication from the airlines. “We spent money and booked on a direct flight so that we could reach our destination in time. Some of us have to join our offices for work, for some their visas have to be extended and so on. Now, we are asked to wait in a hotel with no contact number to ask for updates. We are not able to sleep or rest as we keep waiting for a call or message from the airlines. Even if we ask at the reception, they have no updates,” the passenger said.
When TNM contacted the Cochin International Airport, they said that the passengers were deboarded after a technical issue was found. However, no other details were available with the airport. A Saudia Airlines employee repeated that it was a ‘techincal issue’ and is being sorted out. “We have been sending passengers in small batches on other flights that are going to Riyadh. I have no more information on this,” the employee said.