It was a different kind of midair shock for passengers of Kingfisher airlines’ Dharam-sala-bound flight last week. Soon after the aircraft tool off from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, passengers started protesting against the stinking lavatories.
Passengers sitting in the rear of Kingfisher flight IT-4351, which took off from Delhi at 2.30 pm on August 28 and landed at Dharamshala one and –half hours later, were the worst affected.
One passenger on board the flight said: “There was a stink as soon as we boarded. We complained to the cabin crew who assured us they would do something about it. But when they failed, more than 50 passengers started protesting .They raised slogans against the airline.”
Passengers said lavatories were dirty
Another passenger said he saw the crew spraying air freshener inside the toilet, but that did not help.
“Passengers made a hue and cry and were not ready to listen to the cabin crew.Ultimately, the co-pilot came to the rescue of the crew and had to apologies to the passengers,” he said.
“It was disgusting; we couldn’t use the lavatory for 90 minutes. The stench made us nauseous. I guess this is the side-effect of flying a low-cost carrier. But the airlines must provide basic facilities to passenger,” he added.
Sources also said the aircraft was a base aircraft or a night halt aircraft.”The lavatories of all night halt aircraft are cleaned thoroughly at night.Probably, this was not cleaned,” said an official at the Delhi airport.
Despite repeated attempts, Kingfisher Airlines could not be contracted. The airline did not respond to a detailed questionnaire mailed to the spokesperson.However, sources in Kingfisher confirmed the incident.
“Ground staff of Kingfisher has been on strike agitating over their salaries. It is possible they were on strike that day and the toilets could not be cleaned,” said a Kingfisher official.
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