Bus to IndiGo’s Pune-Goa flight hits baggage unit in airport’s apron area, 2 hurt | Pune News

PUNE: Two passengers booked on IndiGo‘s Pune-Goa flight suffered minor injuries on Friday morning after the transfer coach (bus) carrying them to the aircraft hit a baggage loading unit in the apron area of the city airport – the third such incident in the facility in two months.
“An incident involving a transfer coach and baggage loading unit was reported from Pune airport.The customers were immediately attended to by the airport team to check on their well-being. An alternative coach was provided to complete the boarding process. We regret the inconvenience caused,” an IndiGo spokesperson told TOI.
Third accident in airport’s apron area in two months
The accident in the city airport’s apron area in which two flyers suffered injuries on Friday morning was the third such incident in two months.
A ladder belonging to IndiGo had hit a chartered flight stationed in one of the parking bays in the apron area on May 10, damaging it significantly. Rajasthan chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma had flown into the city on the aircraft for election campaigning.
A Delhi-bound Air India flight with around 180 flyers on board hit a tug tractor while taxiing towards the runway on May 16. The aircraft suffered major damage and was parked in one of the parking bays for days. It was later shifted to the space of the Indian Air Force. Earlier this week, the aircraft flew to Hyderabad for more repairs.
After Friday’s accident, an IndiGo official said, “The woman passenger was given first aid at Pune airport and also after the aircraft landed in Goa. The railing of the baggage loading unit hit the door of the bus. It seems to be a human error prima facie.”
Pune airport director Santosh Dhoke said he did not have any information about the incident. “I will enquire about it immediately,” he told TOI.
The flight (6E6944) was scheduled to take off from Pune at 5.15am and reach Manohar International Airport in Goa at 6.15am. The airline did not confirm the number of flyers in the bus when the accident occurred.
The IndiGo official said, “The coach (bus) belonged to a private agency and the airline had hired it. The cause behind the mishap is being looked into. As the coach was approaching the aircraft, its rear door hit the baggage loading unit, resulting in the windscreen getting shattered and the door sustaining damages.”
Several flyers claimed that the airport’s apron area was chaotic. “Airlines frequently don’t use aerobridges despite being empty. While they do it to save their cost, inbound flyers are forced to walk to the terminal building amid heavy movement of vehicles. It is a risky affair. The airport authorities urgently need to look into it. Five more aerobridges are ready but they are not being used because the new building is not operational,” Vijay Gaate, a frequent flyer, said.
An airport official said, “The apron area size is 540m x 100m. There are a total of 10 parking bays, including five aerobridges. We have been in talks with the airlines and their ground staffers for better apron management. Stress has been laid on safety and security of people, aircraft and other equipment.”
Pune-Bengaluru flyers spend over 1 hr in plane post-diversion
Over 150 flyers booked on an Air India’s Pune-Bengaluru flight on Friday encountered triple troubles — more than three-hour delay, sudden diversion to Chennai and sitting in the aircraft for more than an hour there.
The flight (AI-566) was to take off from Pune at 11.20am and reach Bengaluru at 12.50pm. Anjali Pawar, a flyer booked on it, said she had reached the airport around 8am. “The airline kept on delaying the flight citing technical reasons. Many passengers had important assignments and they missed them because of the delay,” Pawar told TOI.
The flight finally left for Bengaluru at 3pm. The second ordeal — the diversion — followed.
Pawar said, “We were not even told by the cabin crew or the pilot about it. The flight apparently descended to land in Bengaluru but didn’t touchdown and just flew again. All passengers were confused and they started questioning the cabin crew as to why the aircraft didn’t land.”
The flyer said, “The captain of the flight later announced that the aircraft was being diverted to Chennai because of a technical reason. It was a complete shocker for us. The pilot said there was some fuel issue but we didn’t understand the technicalities. All the flyers became restless and arguments started.” The flight landed in Chennai around 5pm.
Pawar said, “We thought we would be deboarded and taken to the terminal, but that didn’t happen. We were made to sit in the plane from 5pm till 6.40pm without any information. The cabin crew just said the same aircraft would fly to Bengaluru, but never mentioned the time. There were a lot of arguments on the aircraft.”
The aircraft finally took off from Chennai at 6.50pm and landed in Bengaluru at 7.40pm.
TOI called Air India’s spokesperson seeking the reason behind the passengers’ ordeal. He said he would revert after some time. The call from him was awaited till going to press.