Air India passengers returning to India for Deepavali get stranded in Milan

Deepavali is the time when people living abroad want to come back home and celebrate the festival with their family members. But for 256 Air India passengers who were hoping to join their families in India for the festival met with a rude shock when their Air India flight AI138 from Italy's Milan to Delhi was abruptly cancelled on Friday.

According to the airline, the flight was cancelled due to an "extended technical requirement" and to "prioritise the safety of all passengers and crew" in such a condition.

“Flight AI138 from Milan to Delhi on 17 October was cancelled due to an extended technical requirement on the aircraft scheduled to operate the flight, prioritising the safety of all passengers and crew,” Air India said in the statement.

The airline also said that all affected passengers were provided hotel accommodation but limited availability led to some being accommodated outside the airport area.

Passengers were rebooked on alternative flights on or after October 20, based on seat availability with Air India and other airlines, claimed the airline.

Notably, the Schengen visa of one of the passengers of the flight was due to expire on October 20 to which the airlines responded by rebooking him on another airline’s flight departing Milan on October 19 to ensure compliance with her visa validity.

This however, disrupted the plans of several passengers who were looking to reach home for Deepavali, which is on Monday (Oct 20)