HUNDREDS of passengers were left stranded at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) yesterday after their flights were cancelled.
Five inbound and outbound Gulf Air flights were scrapped reportedly due to non-availability of pilots, the GDN has learned.
The flights affected were those arriving from Baghdad (GF200) and Amman (GF972), and those departing to Dubai (GF506), Istanbul (GF045) and Addis Ababa (GF705).
“The flights were cancelled because of a shortage of flight crew (pilots),” a source told the GDN yesterday.
“Rules stipulate that once a pilot clocks 900 hours of flying in a calendar year, he has to take two-week mandatory leave before he can resume work.
Arrangements
“This practice is followed by many airlines though the maximum flying hours may vary depending on the sectors and other factors.”
The source claimed the airline made alternative arrangements to accommodate some of the passengers, either by way of providing them with vouchers or finding them seats on other flights.
“From what we know, between 600 to 690 passengers were travelling on those five flights,” the source claimed.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances and in line with common practices and standards of the airline industry, a number of Gulf Air flights have been cancelled,” an airline spokesman told the GDN yesterday.
“The airline regrets any inconvenience caused by such cancellations.”
Another flight from Jeddah to Bahrain was initially cancelled in the morning, but later arrived 22 minutes late, according to the flight information data.
“This situation could continue in the coming days,” warned the source.
Bahrain’s national carrier on Monday sent out emails to passengers informing them that the Bahrain to Cairo flight (GF0071) was cancelled.
“We regret for the inconvenience caused,” the airline email that was sent to a passenger whose flight was cancelled on Monday stated.
“We will be assisting you with suitable alternative arrangements.”
In November, the airline announced it was working on different solutions as part of its restructuring process to protect the rights of Bahrainis.
This came after it terminated the services of a number of Bahraini and expatriate employees, only to retract the redundancies within Bahraini staff a day later.
Gulf Air is one of the largest employers in Bahrain, providing direct and indirect employment to more than 5,000 people, including 3,000 in the airline alone.
sandy@gdn.com.bh
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