A Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Mumbai has been stranded at Türkiye’s Diyarbakir Airport for over 30 hours, leaving more than 260 passengers in distress due to a lack of basic facilities. The aircraft was forced to land at the airport following a technical fault described by the airline as a “hard landing,” rendering the plane unfit to continue its journey.
While the airline’s crew was accommodated in a hotel, the passengers were confined to the airport’s restricted transit area, where they faced severe discomfort. Reports from stranded travelers indicate that the area has only one toilet available for all 275 passengers, along with no access to charging points or proper food provisions. Many have taken to social media to express their frustration, with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Preeti Sharma-Menon highlighting the dire conditions on X, stating that no airline representative was in contact with the affected passengers.
The situation has raised serious concerns about passenger welfare and crisis management by airlines during unscheduled landings in foreign airports. Diyarbakir Airport, primarily a domestic facility with limited international transit services, appears ill-equipped to handle a large influx of stranded passengers, exacerbating the challenges faced by those aboard the Virgin Atlantic flight.
As the delay stretches beyond 30 hours, passengers await updates on whether a replacement aircraft will be dispatched to take them to Mumbai. The airline has yet to provide a clear timeline for the resolution of the situation, further adding to the frustration. The incident has also sparked criticism over the lack of contingency planning for such emergencies and the need for airlines to ensure adequate assistance for passengers in distress.
With growing outrage and pressure mounting on Virgin Atlantic, aviation authorities and passenger rights groups may push for stricter regulations to safeguard travelers from similar ordeals in the future.
