Taxiing Air India aircraft collides with luggage tractor at Pune airport, 200 flyers stranded

PUNE: More than 200 passengers on board an Air India flight (AI-858) from Pune to Delhi were stranded on Thursday after the aircraft collided with a luggage tractor while taxiing towards the runway.
The incident caused damage to one of the wings and a tyre of the aircraft, airport sources said, adding that an inquiry will be conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation into the incident.
The collision occurred as the aircraft was preparing to depart from Pune at 4pm. Shahab Jafri, one of the passengers, told TOI that they were seated in the aircraft for over an hour before being told to disembark.
"Boarding was completed, and the flight began taxiing when we suddenly felt a sharp jerk. The aircraft halted, and for over an hour, there was no communication from the crew," Jafri said.
"After the extended wait, the pilot eventually informed us that the aircraft had collided with a luggage trolley and could not proceed. Subsequently, we were told to deplane and escorted back to the terminal," he added.
A detailed questionnaire was sent to Air India. There was no reply from the airline till the time of going to the press.
Jafri said the entire check-in and security process were repeated. "We were provided with water and snacks around 8pm," he added.
Another aircraft departed with the passengers at 9.56 pm.
Several passengers missed their onward connections. "Several times we've had to walk from the tarmac to the terminal amid the movement of tractors and other vehicles, posing safety risks," another passenger said.
Last Friday, a ladder belonging to IndiGo collided with a chartered aircraft carrying Rajasthan chief minister Bhajanlal Sharma during his election campaign in Pune, resulting in extensive damage to the aircraft.
As the Lohegaon area witnessed heavy rain unseasonal and gusty winds, the aircraft was hit near the front door and sustained damage.
At the time, sources had said that the ladder had come very close to the aircraft due to the inclement weather. Amid low visibility and the possibility of damage, the aircraft had been grounded.
The airline had told TOI it would be submitting a report to the DGCA in the matter.