Jeddah-bound AI flight detained

KOCHI: Bringing in more trouble for passengers of Air India, the Kochi-Kozhikode- Jeddah AI963 flight, which was supposed to leave Nedumbassery on Thursday, was detained at the Cochin International Airport.The flight was detained due to the strike by the Air India pilots.The flight, which was supposed to leave Kochi at 3.30 pm, was to board passengers bound for Jeddah from Kozhikode.But owing to the strike, at least 100 passengers were stranded at the Kochi and Kozhikode airports.The passengers were accommodated in hotels by the airport officials.According to the CIAL officials, the flight will most probably take off from Kochi at 10 am on Friday.Flight From Salala DetainedMeanwhile, an Air India flight from Salala was cancelled after it reached Kochi on Thursday at 8.45 pm.The flight was headed for Thiruvananthapuram from Kochi.But the Air India pilots’ strike led to its detainment.The passengers were then transferred to another Air India flight headed for Thiruvanathapuram at 9.15 pm.Stranded Passengers Leave for KuwaitThe stranded passengers of the Kuwait Airlines were sent on board an alternatively arranged flight at the Cochin International Airport, Nedumbassery, on Thursday.At least 350 passengers were stranded at the airport when two Kuwait Airlines flights that were supposed to leave Kochi on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively developed technical snags.The passengers who were stranded on Tuesday were provided alternative arrangements on Wednesday evening.Similarly, passengers who were scheduled to travel on Wednesday boarded a flight which left at 3.45 am on Thursday