Latest


High Drama at Airport, Pilot of Abu Dhabi-Kochi Flight Presses Hijack Button

  •   Fri, Oct 19 2012 01:40:47 PM

High Drama at Airport, Pilot of Abu Dhabi-Kochi Flight Presses Hijack Button

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 19 (PTI): High drama unfolded at the airport here today when the pilot of an Abu Dhabi-Kochi Air India flight pressed the hijack button in panic after passengers created a ruckus in the cockpit following diversion of the plane to Thiruvananthapuram.

According to airport officials, protesting passengers allegedly entered the cockpit of the aircraft after having waited in the plane for over four hours to go to Kochi.

The pilot then pressed the hijack button, they said.

Following the message, police and other security personnel surrounded the aircraft which was parked at the airport.

The plane was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram due to bad weather, the officials said.

Passengers refused to deboard the aircraft despite repeated requests by the airlines.

Aviation regulator DGCA has ordered a probe into the incident, official sources said in New Delhi.

Premjit, one of the passengers, said the flight was supposed to land at Kochi at 3:30 AM but due to fog at the airport, the plane, which had already been delayed from Abu Dhabi, landed at Thiruvananthapuram at 6:30 AM.

Nothing was done to take the passengers to Kochi and they were told that the plane had to wait at the Thiruvananthapuram airport for refuelling, he said.

"The passengers kept waiting," he said.

Sources said police was unlikely to register case against passengers and felt a humane approach should be taken.

Police felt the passengers were upset because they had to wait for a long time and there was no security issue, the sources said.

They said another pilot had been sent to the aircraft and "there is no emergency of hijack as claimed by the previous pilot".

As per rules, pilots can press three separate transponder codes for different emergencies. One code is pressed in case of "unlawful interference" in the operation of the aircraft which in effect means hijack.

The second code is pressed in case of loss of communication between the aircraft and the authorities on the ground while the third code is pressed for a situation of emergency on board.
  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • errol ian, kulshekar

    Sat, Oct 20 2012

    People should actually thank the Airport officials for diverting their plane rather than complaining about the diversion, of Airport officials n pilot had not diverted the plane for good of passengers, I don't think they would have even been alive to do such a shameful act. these cases happen mostly when a women is in charge, not only in airlines but in most of the fields this happens. people see a woman when she is already troubled her self, they all try to attack her, although she is trying for a solution.

    AI need privatisation.

    People don't mind paying for a crash landing than being ped home safely.

    DisAgree [18] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jaimini P.B., Manipal,Sharjah

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Dr.Kamath..Please watch Asia Net News Channel.You will sympathize with passengers.I feel very sorry for small kids who didn't get water also because of Air India's special treatment.This type of management can not be seen anywhere except India.Passengers lost temper when they were informed by Air India that they would be taken to Kochi by road.Now please tell me..whether passengers are right or wrong...

    DisAgree [4] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • prem, Mangalore

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Dr.S.Kamath Mumbai,
    This is not Air India Express flight.
    It is Air India Flight. So no question of low fare

    DisAgree [2] Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • faiz, udupi

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Why all negative things happening only with Air India Express...

    DisAgree Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Gibbs, Udipi

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    If Air India diverted flight it is after cosidering passengers safety. Meantime, passengers too should understand that while thier flight got delayed, Pilot too must have spent several hours of his/her duty at airport or flight waiting for clearance. Afterall they too human beings and have thier own limitations of duty hours.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr S Kamath , Mumbai

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Dear Readers as per one of the TV report please note that the Pilot was a Lady Pilot and she was harassed by the passengers for no fault of hers .She was not allowed to get down from the plane and were pressing for the demand that Flight should be taken to Kochi .She had to press "unlawful interference" button or else the passengers may even attack her or the Plane in anger .But all said and done a Humane approach can be taken and the passengers may be set free.Airindia express is a low cost ,No Frills Airlines .The mentality of the people that Cheap means you can take them for a ride is really a Behavioural Hazard for safety and should be curtailed .

    DisAgree [39] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse

  • T.K. HAMZA, Kushalnagar

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    PASSENGERS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION OF FLIGHT DIVERTIFICATION PLAN. IT WAS DUE TO BAD WEATHER AND HEAVY FOG.REMEMBER BETTER LATE THAN NEVER.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • Bulsam, Mangalore

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    If air passengers in EU and US can get liberal compensation, why not in India and unless there is a proper law, passengers will be at the mercy of airlines. Not everyone can go to court and fight these big guns. If boarding is denied or a flight cancelled, it should be: Rs 5,000 for flights of 1,500 km or less Rs 7,500 for flights between 1,500-3,000 km Rs 10,000 for flights not falling in the above two categories.
    Passengers whose flights are delayed may be entitled to compensation if they reach their destination three or more hours after the initially scheduled arrival time. The EU law says, “Compensation where the carrier cannot transport the passengers of a cancelled flight on another flight that leaves at the earliest one hour before the scheduled departure time and reaches its destination fewer than two hours after the initially scheduled arrival time”
    In India, if there is an Arrival Delay for more than three hours, the Consumer Court Commission should direct the airlines to pay appropriate compensation to all the victim passengers. Even the arrangements for the passenger for transport from the airport back to the hotel were not appropriate and were extremely uncomfortable. A very uncomfortable feature was that the baggage of the complainant was not returned to them and they suffered great inconvenience at the hotel in its absence.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dr. J. Lancy D'Souza, Anjelore

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Now-a-days Airlines too have become very stringy and cost conscious. There was a rule of Airlines whenever there is delay in operations and in case of technical errors and no show of aircrafts, the passengers should be provided with 5 star accommodation with full meals and to and fro transport to the Airports and then sent to their destinations. But some Airlines do not even offer a cup of Water. What a Shame on these Airlines????

    DisAgree [3] Agree [26] Reply Report Abuse

  • Tripti, Brahmavar/Dubai

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    It is the fault of the airlines for not keeping the passengers d.. It is very important to regularly especially if they know it is going to be a long delay.. It is also necessary to provide basic needs like food, water, etc. After all the customer is king..

    It seems there had no VIPs who gets free tickets in the plane to be taken to Cochin. Because the loyalty of the Pilots are to their employer boss and not to the common men who does not deserve any respect.They want such people to go by ship or by any other mode of transport after giving their hard earned money for their enjoyment and made a mistake by boarding an Indian Airline's plane to go to their destination.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Valli Danthy, Kanajar,Kuwait.

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    I agreed with Hindustani,Manipal.Eventhough kerala is much smaller than Karnataka,they have more Int.airports than Karnataka.Now in near future they will start thier own State Airlines.(now internal) It is really appreciating.But we dont know how many years we must wait for Udupi or Manipal Airport.Regarding this drama the services of Air Ind.Exp.,the passengers who travelled in flights only know that, and in this case passengers also responsible like the pilot.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Aadil Khan, Kasaragod, Saudi Arabia

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    It is a 50:50 shortfalls from passengers and Pilot alike.

    Waiting 4 hours on-board a parked aircraft is indeed horrible and passengers' reaction is very much natural.

    Pilot, fearing the mob would attack him physically, pressed the hijack button but it was unwarranted as the flight is grounded and instead he could have contacted Airport Security and police personnel.

    Hope the issues is amicably settled and the passengers arrived their home safely.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [35] Reply Report Abuse

  • Arvind, Mangalore

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    DGCA should cancel pilot licence immediate

    DisAgree [49] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • R.Bhandarkar., M

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Tolerance has it's limits and
    sitting put for hours in the wee hours can tax anybody bringing
    out the worst! If it's a regular case then the passengers do have a point. A humane approach seems to be the best solution. Divisions all in lighter vein please-All are 'Hindusthanis'right?

    DisAgree [5] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Subash Pai, Mangalore

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    To defame the Kochi Airport, Which is running successfully. Kochi Aiport authorities beware. No Government bodies like private successful semi government institutions.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Hindustani, Manipal/Dubai

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Dear Mr.Allan Dcosta,
    For your kind information,it is not malabaris..it is malayalee. Malabar is region within kerala.

    Wayback in mangalore there was a sit in protest for a ..good cause to improve facilities at mangalore airport..initiated by malayalees.

    I wondere why no kannadigas were there to support.

    In kerala...passengers are being harassed by Air India express like anything. Reason..always technical problem..they just want to change route for extra income..least bothered abt passengers convenince who are already travelling in that aircraft.some people even on a week vacation for some urgent issues back home..think about them.
    Charges are also not budget fare..it is costly as well.
    Result of these harrasment..keral starting its own aircraft..keral airways next year.

    Hope Udupi may get a airport with international stnadard in near future.

    DisAgree [22] Agree [44] Reply Report Abuse

  • Allan Dcosta, Kinnigoli / Abu Dhabi

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    hw did they enter the cockpit? was it not locked? Malbaris famous for panic creating and mischief always in airports and aircrafts any where in the world.

    DisAgree [21] Agree [75] Reply Report Abuse

  • ISMAIL.K.PERINJE, PERINJE-YANBU/KSA

    Fri, Oct 19 2012

    Certainly it is a security breach.Pilot may panicked thinking what is next?Passenger's agitation inside cockpit is danger and serious.Weather problem is not man mad instead it is from nature.on the other hand HUMANE approach for this ugly incidence is not appropriate.Any derailment of duty on the part Pilot may probed and in this regard warrants any compensation towards passengers should be paid.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [46] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: High Drama at Airport, Pilot of Abu Dhabi-Kochi Flight Presses Hijack Button



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.

You might also like