Six Flights Cancelled at Vizag Airport, Air Passengers Protest at Airport

Visakhapatnam: Air passengers had a bitter experience on the festival day on Sunday. Sudden cancellation of six flights led to protests at the airport here. The cold weather conditions caused the flight cancellations, airport officials said.

Indigo and Air India cancelled their Delhi, Vijayawada, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai flights from and to Visakha. Both the airlines werenot ready with alternative arrangements.

Airport director Raja Reddy said, "At the Visakha airport, there was an atmosphere of agitation. Passengers got into an altercation with the Air
India and Indigo companies. However, the airlines arranged accommodation for the passengers and peace was restored at the airport.

“Alternative flights will be arranged tomorrow and these passengers will be sent to their destinations," he added.

The ongoing cancellation of night flights from 9 pm to morning 8 am for the resurfacing work of the runway added to the miseries of the passengers. The airport is under the control of the Navy, which banned the night flights from November 15 to April 1.

“We had four flights to Hyderabad after 9 am and five flights to different directions from 6 am to 8 am. These stranded passengers can fly only after 8 am,’’ said Welfare Holiday World Tours and Travels CEO K. Vijay Mohan.