Passengers Arrive in Mumbai After Unscheduled Diversion and Long Wait at Remote Turkish Airport
Mumbai, April 5 – Over 250 Virgin Atlantic passengers, including several Indian nationals, finally landed at Mumbai airport on Friday night after being stranded for nearly 40 hours at a remote airport in Turkey. The aircraft, originally flying from London to Mumbai, had been unexpectedly diverted to Diyarbakir Airport on Wednesday.Aam Aadmi Party’s Mumbai President, Preeti Sharma Menon, whose relatives were among the stranded, criticized the airline for what she described as an abandonment of passengers at the military-run Diyarbakir Airport, which lacked the infrastructure to manage such a crisis.
According to Menon, Virgin Atlantic left 270 passengers without proper support, forcing them to endure 26 hours sitting on metal chairs and relying on a single toilet. She praised the efforts of local Turkish staff, who attempted to help despite limited resources, and credited the intervention of the Indian Consul in Turkey for securing proper meals and hotel accommodations.
The affected travelers reached Mumbai nearly two days after their scheduled arrival, following what many described as a gruelling three-day transit experience.
Virgin Atlantic has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.
