Click to play videoNew Delhi: A British Airways flight that was scheduled to take off from Capital’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 0230 hrs (IST) on Sunday was delayed by 12 hours.
The London-bound airline did not take off purportedly because the pilot hadn't got enough sleep and expressed his inability to fly.
Agencies reported the pilot as saying that he could not sleep as there was some disturbance in his hotel.
All the 225 passengers, who had boarded the flight, were offloaded after the midnight drama, leaving many of them fuming.
The airline could not make alternative arrangements for the passengers and the flight was eventually took off at 1520 hrs (IST) on Sunday, 12 hours behind schedule.
On Sunday, British Airways issued a statement and apologised to the passengers on board for the inconvenience caused. BA said the flight was delayed to ensure the flight and the crew followed all safety rules regarding crew rest.
"We apologise to all our customers for the delay to BA-142 Delhi-London flight. The flight was delayed in Delhi to ensure that the flight and cabin crew comply with safety regulation governing crew rest. The safety of our customers and crew is of paramount importance to British Airways and will never be compromised," read the statement.
BA spokesperson Radhika Raichy was also quoted as saying by the agencies that the crew had a disturbed night. "The crew hadn't had enough rest. The safety regulations of British Airways doesn't allow them to operate in such conditions,” she said.
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