Air India suspends three staff employees for delayed flight carrying Aviation Minister

New Delhi: Air India is yet again making news but this time has suspended three of its employees for delaying a Vijayawada bound flight by an hour with Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and 100 other passengers on board from New Delhi.

In an official statement by Air India, spokesperson GP Rao told ANI, “Yesterday Air India AI 459 Delhi to Vijayawada flight was delayed by around 1.30 hours with over 100 passengers including minister of civil aviation P Ashok Gajapati Raju onboard.”

The civil aviation Minister on board had to face the irate passenger’s fury for the delayed flight for which he immediately asked response from the Air India CMD Pradeep Kharola.

ANI quoted Rao saying, “Onboard passengers protested and questioned Minister Raju on the delay in the flight. Immediately, the minister asked Air India CMD Pradeep Kharola about flight delay reason.”

The flight Vijayawada was scheduled to take off at 6 am but the Air India operation’s wing decided to delay the flight for a clearer visibility as Delhi is engulfed in fog on mornings, which was not properly communicated to the Air India ground staff who apparently started boarding the passengers as per the schedule.

After the protest and hue cry over the delay, the flight finally managed to take off after one and a Half an hour late.

Air India has also issued a warning letter to captain for reaching late by 15 minutes, Indian Express reported.