More than 250 passengers, including sevrl Indians, have been stranded in Turkey for over 40 hours after a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Mumbai which was unexpectedly diverted. The aircraft, operating as Flight VS358, was rerouted to Diyarbakır Airport due to a medical emergency, leaving passengers in an uncertain situation.
The flight, which took off from London Heathrow on April 2, was forced to make an emergency landing in Turkey. While the medical issue was attended to, the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft encountered a technical snag, preventing it from resuming its journey to Mumbai.
According to Virgin Atlantic, necessary technical clearances have now been obtained, and the flight is scheduled to depart from Diyarbakır Airport at 12:00 local time today. The airline initially explored multiple options, including dispatching an alternative aircraft to facilitate the passengers' journey.
In addition to this, A Virgin Atlantic flight spokesperson says, " If approvals are not received, we plan instead to provide a bus transfer for customers to an alternative aircraft at another Turkish airport tomorrow to complete our customers journey to Mumbai. In the meantime, passengers are being provided with overnight hotel accommodation and refreshments in Turkey, while we work towards a resolution, and we will keep all customers informed as soon as new updates become available."
Stranded Passengers Face Hardships
Passengers reported facing significant hardships during their extended stay in Turkey. One traveler, speaking to PTI on condition of anonymity, revealed that they had to sit on the floor due to a lack of adequate seating and blankets. Additionally, vegetarian food options were scarce, causing further distress for many onboard.
Social media platforms have been flooded with complaints from stranded passengers. Hanuman Dass, one of the affected travelers, took to X (formerly Twitter) to highlight the dire conditions.
“Over 300 Indians and British citizens are stuck in an awful situation. Only one toilet for 300 people, confined in a small space for over 15 hours, and Virgin Atlantic staff are nowhere to be seen. My family is caught up in this,” Dass tweeted.
Virgin Atlantic Responds
Following widespread criticism, Virgin Atlantic issued a statement assuring passengers that they were provided with hotel accommodations and refreshments while the issue was being addressed. The airline expressed regret over the inconvenience and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring passenger safety and comfort.
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Passengers had earlier complained about the lack of communication from the airline, with no updates on their departure for nearly 27 hours. However, relief is now in sight as the stranded travelers are expected to finally reach Mumbai today.