New Delhi, April 24 – In a remarkable display of coordination and empathy, aviation authorities and airline personnel ensured that the body of a victim of the Pahalgam terror attack, along with five members of his family, was transported from Delhi to Surat in a dignified and timely manner. As per agency report, the process involved multiple agencies, including Air India Express, IndiGo, Delhi Airport authorities, security teams, ground staff, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and Air Traffic Control (ATC).
The deceased was among the 26 people killed in Tuesday’s brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, South Kashmir. Most of the bodies were flown to their respective hometowns on Wednesday.
The victim’s family, having boarded IndiGo flight 6E 2268 from Srinagar to Delhi on Wednesday, learned shortly before departure that the next IndiGo flight from Delhi to Surat was scheduled only for Thursday. This would have left them stranded overnight in the capital with the deceased’s body.
Moved by the urgency and emotional weight of the situation, acquaintances of the family contacted Air India Express. In response, the airline and involved authorities decided to delay the scheduled Delhi-to-Surat flight by over an hour to accommodate the grieving family.
As soon as the IndiGo flight landed at Terminal 1 around 8:40 PM, extensive paperwork and security approvals were swiftly processed. The body was then transported to Terminal 3, where the Air India Express aircraft was stationed. The family traveled by road between the terminals, which are several kilometers apart.
Air India Express Flight IX was originally set to depart earlier but took off around 9:40 PM. Simultaneously, authorities at Surat airport extended airport operations by one hour beyond the usual 11 PM closure to accommodate the delayed arrival. The flight landed in Surat around 11:30 PM.
This sensitive and efficient response under extraordinary circumstances exemplified the unified effort of all stakeholders involved. An Air India Express senior official confirmed that every agency worked in concert to ensure the family and the deceased were transported with the dignity and respect they deserved.
