Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Sep 12: Confusion prevailed at Mangaluru International Airport here on Friday September 11 evening after 49 Haj pilgrims found that their tickets had been 'cancelled' without any prior intimation.
It is said that 54 people bound for Haj pilgrimage to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, had booked their tickets through Akbar Travels in the city.
They were supposed to take the evening Jet Airways flight to Saudi via Abu Dhabi, but at the last minute, 49 out of the 54 passengers were told at the counter for issual of boarding pass that their tickets were 'not confirmed' and 'cancelled', and already booked by others.
The other five passengers also refused to board the flight in support of the stranded passengers.
The stranded passengers expressed suspicions that their tickets were 'sold off' by the agent to higher bidders.
Speaking to daijiworld, one of the stranded passengers, who came from Kerala, said, "We were issued tickets to board the 7 pm Jet Airways flight via Abu Dhabi, but at the last minute 49 people were told that they tickets were not confirmed.
"The agents have not made any alternative arrangements and said that they will take us to Kochi to catch the early morning flight. They have assured that they would book tickets for us on Air India, but we are not sure about it. There are very old people among us and we do not know what to do," he said.
The stranded passengers remained in airport even after midnight. Only one agent from the travel agency was around, but he denied that it was the agency's fault.
Finally, the stranded pilgrims were taken by two buses to Kochi from where they are supposed to catch the early morning flight to Saudi.