It’s little over 2 am on Saturday and Delhi airport has just witnessed quite a dramatic turn of events.
In a spectacular development, Air India asked the pilots to leave the Odisha-bound flight to instead fly the plane meant for Bhopal.
That’s because the Bhopal-bound flight had three very important VVIPs- two judges and a state BJP minister Sartaj Singh.
This development caused considerable outrage among the passengers who thought they were about to fly to Bhubaneshwar. They included a BJD MP Thathagatha Sathpathy, who decided to stage dharna inside the airport against this blatant case of VVIP racism.
The Bhopal flight was cancelled due to ‘technical reasons’ but the real reason was allegedly the pilot’s refusal after he said his ‘duty time is over.’
The entire chain of events was being reported on micro-blogging site twitter by senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, who earned plenty of plaudits for his ‘citizen journalism. (Read Sardesai’s tweets in order of how they were posted by him below).
Interestingly, Sardesai is credited with starting the idea of citizen journalism on CNN-IBN, a channel he had launched in his ‘past’ life.
Sardesai too was among the list of passengers travelling to Bhubaneshwar.
Only Air India would probably delay a flight by four hours 15 minutes before you are to board! We are like that only I guess!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Air India cancels flight to Bhopal citing 'technical' problem: real reason: a pilot says duty time is over!!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Two judges and @DILIPtheCHERIAN on Bhopal flight force air India to get a back up crew to get plane to fly! Good luck! Only in India!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Two judges and @DILIPtheCHERIAN on Bhopal flight force air India to get a back up crew to get plane to fly! Good luck! Only in India!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Air India creates new history. Asks pilots to move from Bhubaneshwar flight to Bhopal flight because MD is rung up by judges on board!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
And now passengers of Bhopal and Bhubaneshwar fighting on who should board first! Only in India! pic.twitter.com/0R9dSByMmK
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
JRD Tata must wonder what happened to his legacy pic.twitter.com/tbIPX0UPDE
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Where is MD Air India Lohani? Did he call asking Bhopal flight to be cleared, pilots shifted? Abuse of VVIP privilege! Should he be MD?
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
passengers on Bhubaneshwar Flt say they will allow Bhopal Flt to take off if judges who misused VVIP status come out pic.twitter.com/DSaYGVw8Ja
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
It's past midnight and this is the scene outside the gate! Would make a great citizen journalist story! pic.twitter.com/itx2XZDr45
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
It's past midnight and this is the scene outside the gate! Would make a great citizen journalist story! pic.twitter.com/itx2XZDr45
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
On bhubaneshwar flight is BJD MP Tatagatha Satpathy. Listen to him here pic.twitter.com/lAp8Pjzuyi
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Tathagatha Satpathy stages a dharna outside the gate at airport! pic.twitter.com/xrucxzvecx
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
One BJP min of state from MP and two judges on Bhopal flight. Is that reason enough for AI MD to ask pilots to move from one Flt to other?
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Endlessly fascinating, the Air India saga that @sardesairajdeep is live tweeting. Jai Ho!
— Young Adult (@YoungAdult007) January 8, 2016
Proud of fellow indians who are asking for judges and minister to leave the flight for misusing VIP privilege! Desh badlega!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
Proud of fellow indians who are asking for judges and minister to leave the flight for misusing VIP privilege! Desh badlega!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016
It's close to 1 am; neither Bhopal or Bhubaneshwar AI flts have left; dharna continues, this is India's national carrier!
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 8, 2016