Go-Air flight cancelled due to technical snag

Kolkata: Passengers bound for Port Blair from Kolkata Airport on Thursday morning had to suffer after their flight developed a technical snag and was forced to make an emergency landing at the airport soon after it commenced its journey.

The flight was declared cancelled and by afternoon, the passengers were compelled to return home after the private airliner failed to provide any alternative flight for their journey.

"The Go-Air Kolkata-Port Blair flight G8 101 with around 167 passengers including the crew, made emergency landing due to heavy engine vibration. The flight landed safely and was subsequently cancelled," a senior official of the airport said.

According to sources, the flight took off from the airport at around 8.35 am and after travelling a very short distance, the problem surfaced. The pilot immediately informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC) and asked them to arrange an emergency landing. The ATC was prompt and the flight landed safely at around 8:57 am.

The passengers agitated at the airport, demanding an alternative flight for their journey. "Just 10 minutes after the flight had left, we felt a sudden jerk. It seemed like a bird hit. We landed back at the airport but there was nobody from the airlines to communicate anything to us. I had an emergency meeting to attend," said Nandana Singh, a passenger.

A source informed that the airline later handed over tickets to the passengers for flights scheduled on Friday and Saturday.