Eknath Shinde's Flight Delayed After Pilot Refuses To Take Off Citing Duty Hours

Eknath Shinde's return to Mumbai faced significant delays due to flight technicalities and a pilot's fatigue. The pilot refused to fly, citing health concerns and exceeding duty hours.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

Source : PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's return to Mumbai turned into an unexpected delay. Shinde, who was in Jalgaon to participate in the Palkhi Yatra of Sant Muktai, was originally scheduled to land in the city at 3:45 PM. However, his arrival was delayed by nearly two and a half hours due to technical issues with his flight, according to NDTV.

After finally reaching Jalgaon, the Deputy CM travelled by road to Muktainagar, where he joined the religious procession alongside ministers Girish Mahajan, Gulabrao Patil, and senior administrative officials. The visit went as planned, but the return leg of the journey brought fresh challenges.

Pilot Grounds Aircraft Citing Fatigue And Illness

Upon returning to Jalgaon airport around 9:15 PM, Shinde and his entourage were met with an unexpected hitch. The pilot of his private aircraft refused to take off, citing the end of his duty hours and a deterioration in his health. As reported by NDTV, aviation protocols prevented the flight from proceeding without fresh clearance.

According to News18 Marathi, the pilot had already completed a gruelling 12-hour shift and was unfit to continue under existing regulations. The situation prompted a flurry of activity on the tarmac.

Mahajan, Patil, and other officials held a 45-minute discussion with the pilot in an effort to resolve the deadlock. Simultaneously, Mahajan reached out to airline authorities to secure the necessary permissions, and a doctor was summoned to evaluate the pilot's condition.

Only after medical clearance and approval from the airline did the pilot agree to fly, allowing the aircraft to finally depart for Mumbai later that night.

“This was a minor issue,” Girish Mahajan told reporters. “The pilot had health concerns and had crossed his working hours. After we spoke to the airline, they clarified things to the pilot. Some technical issues were also involved.”