Minister faces passengers' angst for delayed flight, 3 Air India staff suspended

New Delhi: Air India CMD Pradeep Singh Kharola has called for a meeting of senior officials after a flight carrying Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju was unduly delayed at the airport here, airline sources said.

Following the incident involving Delhi-Vijaywada flight on December 13 morning, the airline has already suspended three officials.

Sources said Kharola has taken a serious note of the incident, which was mainly a result of co-ordination issues.

He has called a meeting today of senior officials, including director of operations and scheduling, the sources said.

The passengers reached co-passenger Aviation Minister Raju, who was sitting in the business class section, asking him about the delay. The Air India flight, on which the minister was travelling, was delayed for long, an official in the minister's office confirmed.

The flight had nearly 125 passengers.

The incident came days after Kharola took charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of the disinvestment-bound airline.

About the incident, an Air India spokesperson said the CMD has taken strict action for the confusion created and subsequent delay of the flight.

"Three officials have been suspended and a warning letter has been issued to the captain for reporting late by 15 minutes," the spokesperson said.