'Multiple mistakes': DGCA sends notice to Go First airways after flight takes off leaving 55 passengers on bus
New Delhi/IBNS: After a Go First Airways flight took off from Bengaluru with more than 50 passengers left behind in a bus on the tarmac, aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sent notice to the airline for "multiple mistakes".
Following the incident, Go First apologised on Tuesday for what it called an "inadvertent oversight" and offered the affected passengers to compensate with one free air ticket to travel anywhere in India, within the next year.
The aviation company has also de-rostered the crew involved in the incident, said a statement.
The incident took place on Monday morning when flight G8 116 took off for Delhi from Bengaluru's Kempegowda International airport at 6.30 am. Around 55 passengers were left behind in a bus meant to take them to the plane for boarding.
The passengers were taken in four buses to the aircraft. One of these buses was apparently stopped and kept waiting even as the Go First plane took off.
The passengers had their boarding passes, and their bags were all checked in, according to complaints on Twitter tagging the airline, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The passengers were reportedly accommodated on a flight that left four hours later, at around 10 am.
The regular in its notice termed these as "multiple mistakes such as lack of proper communication, coordination, reconciliation and confirmation" which were at play and resulted in a highly avoidable situation.
Go First has been given two weeks to reply.
Many passengers slammed the airline on Twitter for a "most horrifying experience".
Responding to the tweets, Go First Airways, sought their details and said: "We regret the inconvenience caused."
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
Lapses by airlines have been dominating headlines in the New Year.
On Nov 26 last year, a drunk business class passenger urinated on a 70-year-old woman on an Air India flight from New York to Delhi, which came to the fore last week, causing nationwide shock and anger.