Sources said that 134 passengers from various places were scheduled to take the Air India Express at 9.25 am. All the passengers had undergone rapid test as per the COVID-19 protocols and were waiting to board the flight. However, the personnel at Tiruchy were informed by Dubai airport officials that they would not be allowed to land in Dubai as the method of rapid testing the passengers had undergone was not approved in their country.

Subsequently, the officials announced that the AI Express flight had been cancelled. This triggered commotion among the passengers who picked up an argument with the airlines personnel. All the passengers waited on the corridor and demanded the officials to arrange their travel.

The staff at Tiruchy airport after contacting the Dubai officials, made an alternate arrangement through which all the passengers were sent to Sharjah by the Air India Express at 4.25 pm. After six hours of wait, they boarded the flight to Sharjah.

“This particular method of test is not approved only in Dubai, but it is agreed in Sharjah. So we diverted the flight to Sharjah from where they can reach their respective destinations,” an official said.