Passengers were put on four buses to board the plane.
After a Go First Airways flight took off from Bengaluru with more than 50 passengers left on the bus on the tarmac, aviation regulator DGCA asked the airline to report it.
The DGCA or the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said today it is “looking into the matter” after many passengers criticized the airline on Twitter, calling it “the most horrifying experience”.
Flight G8 116 took off for Delhi from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport at around 6:30am on Monday.
Passengers were put on four buses to board the plane. About 55 passengers continued to wait on one of the buses as the Go First plane took off, according to complaints on Twitter tagging the airline, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Prime Minister Narendra’s office Modi.
The passengers had their boarding passes and their luggage was checked in.
Go First Airways, in response to the tweets, said: “We regret the inconvenience caused.”
The passengers are said to have boarded a flight that took off four hours later, at around 10am. “We have sought a report from the airline and appropriate action will be taken,” a DGCA official is reportedly quoted as saying.
However, the airline did not make any statement about what appeared to be a major incident.
Sumit Kumar, who works for Autopact in Bengaluru, was among the passengers left on the runway. “The passengers were given the alternative option to catch the Air India flight at 10:00 am,” he said.
“We’re over 54 years old on the bus. The boarding hasn’t been completed yet. 6:20 a.m. is the flight, and they put us on another flight at 10 a.m.,” he said.
According to Mr. Kumar, their bus was left near the gate when others dropped passengers near the plane. “Ground staff are checking to see if the flight is taking off. They said initially the flight would return. I missed my meetings. This will be my last flight on Go First.” , he told NDTV.
A post by Shreya Sinha called it “the most horrifying experience”. She said the passengers had been in the bus for an hour.
“Most horrifying experience with @GoFirstairways 5:35 am Boarding bus to board 6:30 am Still on bus carrying more than 50 passengers, driver stops bus after being forced to. G8 Flight 116 takes off. wing, leaving more than 50 passengers. Altitude of irresponsible!” tweeted Shreya Sinha.
The most horrifying experience with @GoFirstairways
5:35am Get in the car for the plane
6:30 Still on the bus with more than 50 passengers, the driver stopped the bus after being forced.
Flight G8 116 took off, leaving more than 50 passengers behind.
The pinnacle of sloppiness! @DGCAIndia– Shreya Sinha (@SinhaShreya_) January 9, 2023
Satish Kumar, whose Twitter bio says “BJP youth”, shared a screenshot of the ticket.
“G8 Flight 116 (BLR – DEL) left passengers on the ground! Over 50 passengers on 1 bus were left on the ground and the flight took off with only 1 bus passengers on it. @GoFirstairways @JM_Scindia is @PMOIndia working in sleep mode? No basic testing.”
Flight G8 116 (BLR – DEL) flew leaving passengers on the ground! More than 50 passengers on 1 bus were left on the ground and the flight took off with only 1 bus passengers on it. To be @GoFirstairways@JM_Scindia@PMOIndia
active in sleep? No basic checks. pic.twitter.com/QSPocisIfc– Satish Kumar (@Satishk98130718) January 9, 2023
In recent weeks, airlines have faced scrutiny for a series of violations, keeping the regulator busy with requests. The pilots and crew of an Air India flight from New York to Delhi on November 26 were suspended for handling a drunken business class passenger who urinated on a 70-year-old woman.
The passenger was arrested after more than six weeks. Air India, which only complained to the police last week, has admitted the error.
There have also been cases of fights on flights.
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