Scoot aircraft at Singapore's Changi airport. AFP
Scoot aircraft at Singapore's Changi airport. AFP
Scoot aircraft at Singapore's Changi airport. AFP
Scoot aircraft at Singapore's Changi airport. AFP

Airline leaves 30 passengers behind in India after travel agent mix-up


Taniya Dutta
  • English
  • Arabic

Thirty passengers were left behind when a Singapore-based airline took off hours ahead of schedule from the northern Indian city of Amritsar following a mix-up with a travel agent.

India’s civil aviation authority has sought a report from budget airline Scoot after its flight, which was initially scheduled to depart at 7:55pm on Wednesday from Amritsar International Airport, took off five hours before time.

While angry passengers protested at the airport, the airline said it had informed passengers about the schedule change via email.

“Around 280 passengers were to travel to Singapore but 250 passengers were rescheduled, leaving 30 passengers behind,” an official at the Amritsar airport said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has sought details from both Scoot and the airport authorities.

It is thought that the 30 passengers belonged to a group that had booked their flights through a travel agent who did not inform them about the flight's time change.

The incident comes just 10 days after a Go First Airways took off from Bengaluru in the south of India for the capital New Delhi without 50 passengers, who were waiting in one of the shuttle buses.

The passengers' boarding passes and bags had all been checked in.

They were later put on another flight that left after four hours.

There has been a series of freak incidents involving India's airlines in recent weeks, including two separate cases of male passengers allegedly urinating on women in the business class sections of Air India flights.

On Wednesday, the regulatory body ordered an investigation after a prominent politician and parliamentarian from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party allegedly opened the emergency door of a plane as it was taxiing before take-off.

The flight was delayed by more than two hours and the politician had to apologise for causing the “inconvenience.”

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Going grey? A stylist's advice

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It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

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The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Power: 575bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh554,000

On sale: now

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

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If you go

Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.

Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com

A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Anna and the Apocalypse

Director: John McPhail

Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Mark Benton

Three stars

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

THE BIO

Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place

Job Title: Human resources administrator, Expo 2020 Dubai

First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group

Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business

Favourite singer: Avril Lavigne

Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia

Family: Six sisters

Updated: January 19, 2023, 10:39 AM`