Go First Bengaluru-Delhi flight takes off leaving 50 passengers behind
A Delhi-bound Go First plane took off from the Bengaluru airport on Monday, allegedly leaving behind over 50 passengers waiting in a shuttle bus. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought a report from the airline regarding the incident. Some of the aggrieved passengers took to social media to share their ordeal. The airline refused to comment on the incident.
Passengers were accommodated on an alternative flight 4 hours later
According to the passengers, they had their boarding passes and checked in their luggage, and were waiting on the bus to board the plane. However, flight G8 116 onboarded the passengers of three out of four buses and departed at 6:40 am, leaving the rest of the travelers behind. The passengers were accommodated on an alternative Air India flight to Delhi four hours later.
Passengers were shuttled to the plane on four buses
Flight G8 116 (BLR - DEL) flew leaving passengers on ground! More than 50 passengers on 1 bus was left on ground & flight took off with just passengers of 1 bus on boarded. Is @GoFirstairways @JM_Scindia @PMOIndia
— Satish Kumar (@Satishk98130718) January 9, 2023
operating in sleep? No Basic checks. pic.twitter.com/QSPoCisIfc
Had to force bus driver to stop, claimed one passenger
Most horrifying experience with @GoFirstairways
— Shreya Sinha (@SinhaShreya_) January 9, 2023
5:35 am Boarded the bus for aircraft
6:30 am Still in bus stuffed with over 50 passengers, driver stopped the bus after being forced.
Flight G8 116 takes off, leaving 50+ passengers.
Heights of negligence! @DGCAIndia
DGCA took notice following tweets of passengers
The irate fliers tweeted about the incident, tagging Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They questioned the efficacy of the airline's operations, with one passenger asking if it was "operating in sleep" without any basic checks. Go First replied to one of the passengers' tweets, saying, "We regret the inconvenience caused," but hasn't put out an official statement.
Service of airlines in question since 'pee-gate'
Recently, flights and their services have been in the headlines following the incident of a drunk man peeing on an elderly co-passenger on an international Air India flight. The offender was arrested, and a pilot and four cabin crew members were de-rostered.
