Hubballi: A Fly91 flight from Hyderabad to Hubballi encountered severe turbulence during landing, forcing the aircraft to remain airborne for hours before being diverted to Bengaluru. Passengers onboard described the experience as terrifying, with many fearing for their lives.
One of the passengers, Jayakumar Aralgundi, said the flight departed Hyderabad around 3 PM with only about 15–20 passengers onboard. The journey remained normal until the aircraft approached Hubballi, where it was hit by intense turbulence due to strong winds and stormy weather conditions.
He recounted that for nearly 15 minutes, the situation became extremely critical, leaving passengers unsure if they would survive. “People started praying, some were crying, and a child even slipped from a family’s hands during the turbulence,” he said.
Despite the chaos, passengers praised the pilot for handling the situation with skill and composure. “The pilot did an excellent job controlling the aircraft. There was no technical fault—only severe turbulence due to bad weather,” Jayakumar clarified.
As landing at Hubballi became impossible due to adverse weather, the flight remained in the air for an extended period before finally landing safely in Bengaluru at around 7 PM. Upon landing, passengers expressed relief and applauded the pilot for ensuring their safety.
However, some passengers expressed dissatisfaction with the behavior of a few airline staff members after landing, alleging that they were spoken to rudely despite the traumatic experience.
Officials later confirmed that the delay and diversion were caused by bad weather conditions, including strong winds and storm activity, and not due to any technical malfunction in the aircraft.
The incident has once again highlighted the challenges posed by unpredictable weather conditions in aviation and the importance of effective communication and passenger handling during emergencies.
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