WATCH | Hyd Flyers Fume as Sri Lankan Airline Flight to Colombo Cancelled Abruptly, Staff Unresponsive

More than 50 passengers were left stranded at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) after the Sri Lankan Airlines cancelled its Colombo-bound flight without prior notice.

Videos of the infuriated passengers complaining back and forth about the cancellation and miscommunication on the part of the airlines have gone viral on social media.

The response of the airport staff also fumed the passengers leading to arguments as they were left without any alternative options.

One of the passengers, by the name of Dara S Elavia, took to social media platform X to share their ordeal stating that the airlines failed to inform them about the cancellation in advance, the absence of any alternative option for the stranded passengers and the lack of support from the airline as well as airport staff.

“Flight UL178 we came to know it was cancelled after we reached the airport and the airline’s staff at the airport had no clue, not looking for options. Are you guys bearing the complete cost of my holiday package?” the user wrote on X.

Another user, who was booked on the same flight, wrote, “We are booked for the same flight. The international helpline isn’t even working. Looks like they have given up. We need to work on the compensation from the airline. This is really pathetic.”

As per reports, this is not the first time that the passengers had to go through such an experience with Sri Lankan Airlines.

Earlier in October, the Sri Lankan aviation minister threatened to withdraw an exclusive agreement with the state-owned Sri Lankan Airlines after flight delays and cancellations impacted several parliamentarians.

Nimal Siripala de Silva said the government is considering withdrawing the exclusive rights of Sri Lankan Airlines to operate and manage long-haul flights in and out of Colombo, relegating it only to short-haul flights within Asia and domestically.