Surat: An IndiGo flight from Goa to Surat encountered a bird strike while landing at the city airport on Monday evening, resulting in the aircraft being grounded and leaving 200 passengers bound for Bengaluru stranded.

The flight was originally scheduled to land at 6:30 pm but touched down around 7:50 pm and suffered a bird strike. The severe bird strike caused significant damage to the aircraft, necessitating repairs. Consequently, the plane was unable to continue on its next scheduled leg to Bengaluru, stranding over 200 passengers. The delay and lack of communication about the incident frustrated many passengers.

Airline sources said that following the cancellation of the Surat-Bengaluru flight, some passengers received refunds, while others were offered alternative flight arrangements. However, the incident raised serious safety concerns, particularly because the agency responsible for deterring birds from the runway had recently stopped working due to unpaid dues by the airport authorities.

The in-charge airport director S.C. Bhalse was unavailable for comment despite numerous attempts. DeshGujarat