Stranded passengers at IGI demand 'justice' after Lufthansa cancels flights

Chaos reigned at IGI airport's Terminal-3 on Friday after Lufthansa airline cancelled two of its flights due to a pilots' strike stranding hundreds of passengers.

Around 700 passengers on Friday were stranded at the IGI airport's Terminal-3, police said.

According to police, more than 100 people, relatives and family members of the stranded passengers, gathered outside the airport and demanded refunds or alternate arrangements.

Among the stranded people, many were students whose classes are starting soon.

The passengers, visibly distraught and mostly in their early twenties, sat down at the airport with their luggage and shouted We want Justice.

Passengers have alleged that no help has been provided by the airport authorities.

"We have been given no food, no accommodation and no flight rebooking. We are stranded here. Our classes are starting next week. We need to go back urgently," said one passenger.

Several of them also took to social media, urging for help from the government.

"All @lufthansa flights cancelled Sir, please help us..We are students, senior citizens and so many people stranded here in Indira Gandhi Aiport, Terminal 3. We are stuck here. Staff has vanished," a passenger tweeted.

A senior police officer said that on Friday at 12.15 am they got the information that a crowd had gathered on the main road in front of departure gate number 1, Terminal 3 IGI Airport.

Lufthansa had on Thursday said the strike announced by the pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) will have a massive impact on flight operations on Friday.

"Lufthansa has to cancel 800 flights at its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich for Friday, with single flights also being cancelled as early as today, Thursday, September 1.

"An estimated 1,30,000 passengers will be affected, in view of the upcoming weekend, the end of the holidays in some parts of Europe.

"Lufthansa is working with joint forces to return its flight operations to a normal status as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, the effects of the strike may still lead to individual flight cancellations or delays this Saturday and Sunday," it had said in a statement.