Passengers of Khujand-Dushanbe flight, who were expecting their flight on May 20, spent the whole night at the Khujans airport due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Passengers claim they were not provided with normal conditions – people spent seven hours without water, hot food and sleeping place.
Asia-Plus received a copy of passengers’ appeal filed to transport prosecutor’s office of Bobojongafurov region in which they uncover the details of the situation.
“The flight from Khujand was scheduled for 20:30 but was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions. Every next hour we were told that the flight was delayed. As a result we spent seven hours in waiting room without water and food. There were children, old people and foreigners among us,” passengers wrote in the appeal.
They claim they asked one of representatives of TajikAir company for explanations but never got any.
“People were waiting for their plane for the whole night in terrible conditions. Passengers with children were not provided with special places in mother-and-child room. We are indignant over such inaction of the air company,” one of the passengers of Khujand-Dushanbe flight Dmitry Prudskih told AP.
AP tried to get explanations from TajikAir’s press service but the comments were not provided by the time of publication of this material.
It remains unclear when national air companies will bear responsibility for delays or cancellation of flights.
Many countries have special air transportation rules, according to which air carriers provide passengers with all required conditions and services in case of a delay or cancellation of a fight due to unfavorable weather conditions, technical or other reasons.
First of all, air carrier must provide passengers with children under seven years of age with a special place in mother-and-child room. Secondly, provide passengers with an opportunity to make at least two telephone calls or send e-mail messages and provide them with cold drinks if the flight is delayed for more than two hours. Thirdly, the company should provide passengers with hot food if the flight is delayed for more than four hours and should provide passengers with food if flight is delayed for further six hours. Fourthly, passengers should be delivered to a hotel if the flight is delayed for more than eight hours during day time and more than six hours during night time. Fifthly, provide passengers with transport from airport to hotel. And finally provide storage of their baggage.
