Mid-air scare for 166 passengers on Mumbai-Jaipur Jet Airways flight, 30 passengers reportedly affected as flight returns to Mumbai
Representational picture
In a shocking incident, several passengers on a Jet Airways flight from Mumbai to Jaipur on Thursday suffered nasal and ear bleeding due to cabin pressure problems. The Boeing 737 aircraft returned to Mumbai as some passengers needed hospitalisation.
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According to an official at aviation regulator DGCA, "During the climb, the crew forgot to select a switch due to which cabin pressurisation could not be maintained. "As a result, oxygen masks got deployed."
Initial reports say that out of 166 passengers on board the 9W 697 flight, 30 passengers were affected. While some suffered nose bleeding, few had ear bleeding and some complained of a headache. The official said all the affected passengers are being attended to by the doctors at the airport.
Several passengers on the flight suffered nose and ear bleeding after the crew "forgot" to turn on a switch that controls cabin air pressure, officials said. One middle-aged male passenger was brought to the Dr Balabhai Nanavati Hospital in suburban Vile Parle by Jet Airways officials. "He has been taken for audiometry test and the hospital will issue a health statement after some time," a spokesperson of the hospital said.
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After we took off the AC malfunctioned, then air pressure system malfunctioned too&oxygen masks came out.Some of us experienced nose bleeding & headache: Darshak Hathi,passenger onboard Mumbai-Jaipur Jet Airways flight which was turned back to Mumbai due to loss in cabin pressure pic.twitter.com/gjFbWXkU0c
— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2018
The flight landed at Mumbai airport after an hour & we were told that we will be shifted to a different flight. This is an unfortunate incident: Darshak Hathi, passenger onboard the Mumbai-Jaipur Jet Airways flight which was turned back to Mumbai due to loss in cabin pressure pic.twitter.com/2AmaWJxmfL
— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2018
Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken cognisance of the incident in Jet Airways Mumbai-Jaipur flight earlier today and has requested Directorate General of Civil Aviation to file its report immediately on the issue. The crew is being de-rostered. https://t.co/Qd4I99APqd
— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2018
Jet Airways' official statement
Jet Airways flight 9W 697 Mumbai to Jaipur of 20th September 2018, made an air turn back due to loss in cabin pressure. The B737 aircraft, with 166 guests and 5 crew landed normally in Mumbai. All guests were deplaned safely and taken to the terminal. First aid was administered to a few guests who complained of ear pain, bleeding nose etc. The flight’s cockpit crew has been taken off scheduled duties pending investigation. The airline is making alternative flight arrangements for guests on this flight. Jet Airways regrets the inconvenience caused to its guests.
In another news, facing strong financial headwinds, Jet Airways on Wednesday said it will stop free meals services on its Economy class from bookings done from September 25. The unbundle plan covers the 'Economy Light' and 'Economy Deal' categories in the domestic sector, the airline said, adding however flyers will continue to get free beverages, including tea and coffee. The airline said following this, its tickets in these two buckets will become cheaper as the cost of meals in inclusive of the ticket fare now. Read the full story
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