Andhra Pradesh: Pilot averts mishap after bird-hit

Visakhapatnam: The pilot of an Indigo aircraft averted disaster by aborting take-off following a bird-hit at the Vizag airport on Wednesday morning.

Sources said the aircraft had traversed 75 per cent of the runway before take-off when it experienced the bird-hit. The aircraft bound for Bengaluru was carrying 180 passengers and was expected to depart at 7.55 am. The aircraft taxied back to the terminal where it was found that an eagle had been ingested into the engine.

Sources said the passengers were told that the flight would be operated at 8.30 am. 

Another announcement a little later said that the engine required repairs, and that the flight was cancelled.

This angered passengers, many of whom had onward flights from Bengaluru include abroad. They complained that the airline had not made alternative arrangements.

A passenger, Mr B.K. Rai, said the local airline representative refused to accommodate them on a scheduled 9.30 pm Chennai-bound Indigo flight to enable them to take another flight to Bengaluru. Mr Rai said due to the cancellation, he had missed his flight to Mangalore from Bengaluru.

Nearly 40 per cent of the stranded passengers cancelled their tickets. Some passengers purchased tickets on other flights in an attempt to reach Bengaluru.

One passenger on condition of anonymity said that the local Indigo staff had agreed to make alternative arrangements but changed their plan after speaking to their seniors over the phone. Some reports said the passengers tried to assault the airline staffer but he managed to escape.