AI flight door fails to open at Raipur airport; MLA, flyers stranded for 1 hour

RAIPUR: A technical snag in an Air India flight arriving from Delhi led to a tense hour-long delay at Raipur airport, leaving around 160 passengers, including a sitting MLA, stranded inside the aircraft with no immediate explanation.

Flight AI 2797 departed Delhi at 8.15pm and landed at Raipur's Swami Vivekananda airport at 10.05pm on Sunday. However, upon touchdown, the aircraft's door failed to open due to what airline staff later described as a "technical fault". Passengers remained confined inside the plane until after 11pm, sparking confusion and concern.

Among those onboard was Congress MLA from Kota constituency in Bilaspur district, Atal Srivastava.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that the cabin crew initially offered no clear explanation, leading to growing unease among passengers.

The situation reportedly escalated when passengers noticed a halt in power supply within the aircraft, further fuelling speculation of a malfunction. However, Air India officials later clarified that the delay was part of a routine security drill and not a safety breach.

Airport authorities confirmed that no injuries or medical emergencies occurred during the delay, and all passengers eventually disembarked safely.