Indian travelers left stranded at Kuwait airport for 13+ hours; cite lack of assistance

Indian passengers report lack of food, shelter during over 13 hours of  horror by Kuwati airport authorities

Around 60 Indian passengers traveling on a flight from Mumbai to Manchester were stranded at Kuwait International Airport for more than 13 hours on Sunday, with many alleging poor treatment by airport authorities and the airline. The passengers were left without food, accommodation, or basic assistance after their Gulf Air flight GF 005 was diverted due to a technical issue.

The passengers were reportedly stranded for more than 13 hours after their Gulf Air flight GF 005 was diverted due to a technical snag.

One passenger, Arzoo Singh, explained that the group was unable to leave the airport because they did not have transit visas, while UK and US passport holders were allowed to exit with visas on arrival. The situation grew more tense as passengers took to social media to express their frustration, prompting the Indian Embassy in Kuwait to intervene.

“After we raised the issue on social media, senior officials from the Indian embassy in Kuwait reached out to the Indian passengers stuck at the airport,” Arzoo Singh told news agency ANI. She added that after discussions, airport authorities agreed to provide accommodation for senior citizens and passengers traveling with infants in a facility inside the airport. However, there was no clear information about how the remaining passengers would be accommodated.

Singh later said, “Indian embassy officials are in talks with the airline to arrange an alternate flight at the earliest.”

Another passenger, Shivansh, also took to social media to voice his frustration. “Reading Why Bharat Matters while getting stuck in Kuwait without any help. All British passport holders got their hotels sorted with on-arrival visas, while Indian passport holders have been left stranded without any info, food, or any kind of help. Please help and provide us a visa so that at least we can get a hotel and wait for the next flight,” he posted on X.

In response, the Indian embassy in Kuwait updated the passengers on X, stating, “Embassy has been informed by Gulf Air that the flight for stranded passengers from Kuwait to Manchester is tentatively scheduled at 3:30 am on 2 Dec. This is being conveyed to all passengers by the Embassy team at the airport.”

The Embassy later confirmed that a team was at the airport to assist passengers and coordinate with the airline. They also reported that passengers had been accommodated in two airport lounges.

Arzoo Singh also shared her concerns about the treatment passengers received. “I am saying this on live television. They said ‘if you’re entitled passport holders, and Indians and Pakistanis are not entitled passport holders,’ they literally told us if you’re entitled to a transit visa, only then we can put you in a hotel outside,” Singh told NDTV.

“We asked them, ‘What about us, people who are not ‘entitled‘ as you say?’ They said, ‘We will get back to you.’ We ran behind them for nearly two hours, and only after that, we got lounge access. We asked for blankets, we asked for food. They didn’t give. No one even gave us water for the first four hours,” Singh alleged.

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.

The post Indian travelers left stranded at Kuwait airport for 13+ hours; cite lack of assistance appeared first on PGurus.