Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Apr 5: After being stranded for more than 40 hours in Turkey, over 250 passengers of a Virgin Atlantic flight, including several Indians, finally landed safely at Mumbai airport late Friday evening. The flight had originally taken off from London’s Heathrow Airport on Wednesday morning and was scheduled to land in Mumbai by 1:40 am on Thursday.

However, due to a technical issue during landing in Turkey, the aircraft had to undergo extensive inspection, leading to an unexpected and prolonged delay. “The safety and security of our customers and crew remains our highest priority. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused,” said a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson on Friday.

One of the passengers, Ripal Patel, a London resident traveling to Mumbai to meet his mother, described the harrowing experience. “I’m relieved to be home after going through those uncertain hours in Turkey,” he said.

According to Patel, the aircraft was diverted to a Turkish military airbase, where passengers were taken to a dark lounge under minimal facilities. “There was just one toilet for all of us. The first meal came after 10 hours—a cheese chilly sandwich. A lady with a gluten allergy fell ill due to lack of proper food,” he said.

He added that it wasn’t until Thursday, following multiple protests and repeated appeals to officials, that the passengers were provided hotel accommodation.

The flight eventually resumed on Friday after clearance and technical checks, finally bringing relief to passengers who endured over 40 hours of confusion, discomfort, and delay.