Mon Dec 02 01:51:54 UTC 2024: ## Indian Passengers Stranded in Kuwait After Emergency Landing, Allege Discrimination
**Kuwait City, Kuwait –** Over 60 Indian passengers flying from Mumbai to Manchester via Bahrain experienced a harrowing 19-hour ordeal at Kuwait International Airport after their Gulf Air flight made an emergency landing due to an engine fire. Passengers reported a lack of food, water, and adequate assistance from the airline, with allegations of discriminatory treatment leveled against Gulf Air.
The flight, en route from Bahrain to Manchester, made an unexpected U-turn and landed in Kuwait after a suspected engine fire. Passengers claim they received only 20 minutes’ notice of the diversion. Following the landing, passengers described chaotic scenes, with a video circulating on social media showing them arguing with airport authorities.
According to passenger Arzoo Singh, who spoke to NDTV, the airline allegedly prioritized passengers holding EU, UK, and US passports, providing them with hotel accommodations while leaving Indian, Pakistani, and other Southeast Asian nationals stranded. Ms. Singh recounted being told that only passengers with “entitled passports” would receive hotel placement and that they had to wait nearly two hours before gaining access to an airport lounge. Even then, basic necessities such as blankets, food, and water (for the first four hours) were not provided.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait responded swiftly, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that they contacted Gulf Air and dispatched a team to assist the passengers. While the embassy confirmed that passengers were eventually accommodated in two airport lounges, they cited the ongoing GCC Summit as a reason for the initial delay in providing hotel accommodation and noted that Indian nationals do not have visa-on-arrival privileges in Kuwait. The embassy remained at the airport until the delayed flight finally departed for Manchester at 4:34 am the following day.
Gulf Air has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident. The passengers, many with pressing work commitments in the UK, expressed frustration over the lack of timely assistance and the alleged discriminatory practices. The incident has sparked outrage among passengers and raised questions about the airline’s handling of the emergency and its treatment of passengers of different nationalities.
First Piper 