Novoair flight delay triggers scuffle at Saidpur airport

A scuffle broke out between Dhaka-bound passengers and Novoair staff at Saidpur Airport this morning over a delayed flight.

According to passengers and Novoair staff, the incident happened when passengers of the scheduled 9:30am flight departing for Dhaka were told to wait more even after waiting well behind the scheduled time, reports our Nilphamari correspondent.

The airlines said the delay was caused by foggy weather in Dhaka.

The delay announcement triggered a heated exchange of words between the passengers and airline staff, leading to a scuffle. At one point, agitated passengers vandalised the Novoair desk at the airport.

Some passengers told The Daily Star that they were supposed to take return flights from Dhaka later in the day after completing their work there.

The civil aviation authority said they had to briefly detain two passengers.

According to airport sources, the flight finally left for Dhaka with 62 passengers, except those two, at 12:30pm.

Later in the afternoon, the detained passengers were released after higher authorities of the airline came to the airport and resolved the dispute.

They later left for the capital on another Novoair flight.

Saidpur Airport Manager Suplab Kumar Ghosh refused to comment on the matter without talking to the higher authorities.