Oh my god: Passengers cry, panic as Fly91 flight faces mid-air scare

The incident caused anxiety among passengers as the aircraft remained airborne for nearly three hours. Some passengers were visibly distressed, with a few reportedly in tears and praying during the prolonged delay.

In Short

• 22 passengers on board faced nearly three hours of airborne delay
• Flight circled Hubballi for an hour before diversion as per protocol
• Fly91 denied any technical fault, citing safety and standard procedures

A distressing video showing some passengers crying and breaking down midair has surfaced after a Fly91 flight from Hyderabad to Hubballi encountered bad weather, triggering panic inside the aircraft.

In the now-viral footage, a woman is seen with folded hands, praying before breaking into sobs. As the tension builds, her distress intensifies — her voice trembles, tears stream down her face, and her body shakes as she continues to pray.

Cries of “Oh my God” and anxious voices can be heard across the cabin. “Why is he doing like this?” a man is heard shouting, probably directed at the pilot, while another voice attempts to reassure fekkow passengers, saying, “Don’t cry, nothing will happen...just wait.”

WEATHER FORCES DIVERSION

Airport authorities clarified that the Fly91 Airlines flight IC3401 from Hyderabad to Hubballi was diverted solely due to adverse weather condition.

The ATR turboprop aircraft departed Hyderabad at around 3 pm and was scheduled to land in Hubballi at 4.30 pm. However, due to rain and poor visibility, the aircraft could not land as planned.

Officials said the flight was held in the air for nearly an hour, in line with standard aviation procedures, in anticipation of an improvement in weather conditions. When conditions failed to improve, the pilot diverted the aircraft to Bengaluru, where it landed safely.

AIRLINE DENIES TECHNICAL ISSUE

In a statement, Fly91 clarified that the aircraft did not suffer any technical snag, countering reports circulating in some sections of the media.

“The flight encountered bad weather on nearing Hubballi and was diverted to Bengaluru as per standard protocol. Holding the aircraft and diverting it was part of standard operating procedures. There was zero compromise to safety,” the airline said.

It added that its crew followed established aviation protocols and reiterated that reports suggesting a technical fault were “false and baseless”.

Officials also pointed to similar weather-related disruptions in the region, including a Mumbai-Kolhapur flight being diverted to Goa on the same day.

PASSENGERS SAFE, FLIGHT COMPLETED LATER

There were around 18 passengers on board. Some were deboarded in Bengaluru, while those who chose to continue were later flown to Hubballi, reaching around 11 pm.

Officials emphasised that there was no compromise on safety and that such diversions are routine during adverse weather.

PANIC CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Responding to the viral video, officials said such reactions are not uncommon, particularly among first-time flyers, as turbulence and holding patterns can cause anxiety.

The airline also denied reports of any technical snag, reiterating that the diversion and holding pattern were carried out strictly as per standard operating procedures. “All passengers are safe. There is no issue,” an official said.

- Ends
Inputs from Sagay Raj and Chetan Bhutani