Did Air India divert scheduled flight to ferry cricketers, DGCA wants to know

Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought a report from Air India on reports that an aircraft that was to operate a scheduled flight has been deployed for flying out the Indian cricket team from Barbados, according to officials.

There have been reports that Air India deployed the aircraft to Barbados that was originally scheduled to operate a scheduled flight from Newark to Delhi, causing difficulties for passengers.

Against this backdrop, a senior official on Wednesday said the  (DGCA) has called for a report from Air India.

The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team is expected to arrive in the national capital on Thursday morning.

They are coming from Barbados' Grantley Adams International Airport in a chartered flight which has a special call sign -- AIC24WC -- Air India Champions 24 World Cup.

An Air India official said passengers were not inconvenienced by the deployment of the Boeing 777 aircraft to Barbados.

Most of the passengers who had booked tickets for the Newark to Delhi flight on July 2 were informed in advance.

However, some passengers who could not be informed about the flight cancellation turned up at the airport and they were taken by road to New York.

Those passengers were accommodated in the flight from New York to Delhi, the official added.

The departure of the cricket team was delayed due to Hurricane Beryl and the chartered flight was arranged by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).