Stranded in Turkey: Virgin Atlantic Passengers Face 39-Hour Ordeal

Over 250 passengers aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Mumbai have been stranded at Turkey's Diyarbakir Airport for over 39 hours. The majority of those affected are Indian nationals. According to an airline representative, flight VS358 was forced to make an emergency landing on April 2 due to a critical medical situation. Following the diversion, the aircraft encountered a technical malfunction and is currently undergoing assessment.

"The safety and security of our customers and crew remains our highest priority, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. Subject to receiving the necessary technical approvals, we will continue flight VS1358 to Mumbai from Diyarbakir Airport at noon local time on Friday 4th April," the Virgin Atlantic spokesperson stated.

If the necessary authorizations are not secured, the airline has devised an alternate plan. "If approvals are not received, we plan instead to provide a bus transfer for customers to an alternative aircraft at another Turkish airport tomorrow to complete our customers' journey to Mumbai," the statement further added. Meanwhile, stranded travelers have been provided with hotel accommodation and refreshments as efforts to resolve the situation continue. Virgin Atlantic has assured passengers that they will be informed of further developments.

My family along with 250+ passengers have been inhumanely treated by @virginatlantic .

Why is this chaos not being covered in the @BBCWorld or global media?? Over 30 hours confined at a military airport in Turkey.
In contact with the @ukinturkiye to please more pressure needed pic.twitter.com/TIIHgE07bb

— Hanuman Dass (@HanumanDassGD) April 3, 2025

Many affected individuals and their families have turned to social media to highlight their ordeal. Several travelers have reported inadequate facilities at the airport, including the availability of just one restroom for nearly 300 people. A passenger speaking to the news agency PTI mentioned that blankets were not distributed despite the frigid temperatures. Images from the airport show exhausted travelers resting on chairs, appearing distressed due to the prolonged uncertainty.

In response to inquiries from NDTV regarding the status of the passengers, a Virgin Atlantic spokesperson confirmed that affected travelers have been accommodated in hotels while the airline actively works towards a resolution.

The Indian Embassy in Ankara has stepped in to monitor the unfolding situation closely, ensuring that Indian nationals receive assistance as necessary.

Hi @VishnuNDTV , we’re sincerely sorry for the disruption experienced due to the urgent medical diversion. Our customers are now in overnight hotel accommodation in Turkey, while we work towards a resolution tomorrow so they can continue their journey to Mumbai. We’ll keep all…

— virginatlantic (@VirginAtlantic) April 3, 2025