Chennai: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel locked 20 Air India Express employees on the premises of the Madurai airport Tuesday night. The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industries has urged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct an inquiry into the incident.
According to a report in Times of India, Air India Express officials and staff who were attending a flight service to Singapore had to remain locked inside the airport for nearly an hour.
The flight was scheduled to leave Madurai for Singapore with 78 passengers at 9.35 pm.
As the eight-hour shift of CISF personnel ends by 9 pm, and there are usually no flights after that, the security personnel locked the terminal building at 9.30 pm and left the place.
Later, the stranded employees informed about the issue to airport director D Baburaj who intervened and opened the building.
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"About 20 Air India Express staff could not leave the terminal building after their work. Only after the issue was taken up with the Airport Director, the CISF personnel opened the doors," a report in The Hindu quoted TN Chamber of Commerce and Industries president N Jegatheesan as saying.
The incident was reported on the day international flight services resumed after two years due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the TN Chamber of Commerce and Industry lodged a complaint with Director General of Civil Aviation, civil aviation ministry and regional executive director of Airports Authority of India (AAI). Jegatheesan urged the MHA to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against those responsible for the lapse.