Chaos at Amritsar airport when students for direct flight to Toronto asked to get Dubai flight

Charanjit Singh Teja
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, April 20

Utter chaos was created at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, Amritsar, when a large number of students from Punjab, who were supposed to board a direct flight to Toronto (Canada) from here, were asked to take a flight via Dubai last night.

The students opposed the move of the authorities saying that it would unnecessarily burden them with expense as they would have to undergo COVID-19 protocol during their stay at Dubai.

Around 50 students missed the flight due to chaos. The SpiceJet airline authorities gave different reasons for offloading these students.

Most of the students had tickets for the direct flight to Toronto which was scheduled to depart at 9:30 pm on Monday. The students alleged that they raised the question when authorities provided them with Dubai visas.

Several students preferred to board the SpiceJet flight with stay in Dubai while some of them raised concerns over COVID-19 protocol during their stay at Dubai.

The airline reportedly offloaded more than 50 students. Around 3.30 am, airport authorities asked the students to leave the airport which led to agitation by students and their parents.

The chaos continued till 8.30 am, when MP from Amritsar Gurjeet Singh Aujla reached the airport during his return from New Delhi. He intervened in the matter and met with Director Airport VK Seth, SpiceJet station manager Manjor Komal Thakur and CISF authorities.

Later Aujla issued a statement that the students became victims of the air ticket fraud being run by agents and asked the police to take appropriate action.

The police have recorded the statements of students and their parents in this regard. Aujla asked the residents to be alert about the air ticket frauds while booking the ticket abroad.

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