A Salam Air flight from Kozhikode’s Karipur International Airport to Muscat was delayed for more than seven hours on 17 July 2026 after the Airbus A321 reported a hydraulic fault during pre-departure checks. Kerala Kaumudi reports that 144 passengers—many of them Omani-based Indian workers returning from annual leave—staged a sit-in inside the terminal when the airline initially failed to provide meals or accommodation. Airport authorities invoked India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) passenger-rights rules, compelling the carrier to deliver refreshments after a two-hour delay threshold. Engineers flew in a replacement part from Muscat, and the flight eventually departed mid-afternoon. The incident highlights ongoing operational stress on Gulf–India sectors during the post-Eid travel surge. Industry data show on-time performance on Kerala–Gulf routes has slipped to 72 per cent in July, driven by high utilisation of narrow-body fleets and weather-related diversions. Employers in Oman and the UAE relying on tight rotation schedules for Indian technicians should monitor such delays and factor contingency days into rotas. Salam Air says affected passengers may claim up to OMR 50 (≈₹10,500) under EC Regulation 261-style compensation rules adopted by Oman’s aviation regulator.
Source: Kerala Kaumudi
