Flight delayed after pilot's late show up, speaks gibberish
A Citilink passenger plane from the budget arm of Indonesian flag carrier Garuda parks on the tarmac of the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang outside Jakarta on January 3, 2013. - AFP Photo/Fajrin
A Jakarta-bound Citilink flight from Surabaya departed over an hour behind schedule after its pilot showed up late before making an unclear welcome announcement, this morning.
Citilink Indonesia Corporate Communications vice president Benny S. Butarbutar said the flight which was scheduled to depart at 5am, took off at 6.20am.
"We would like to apologise for the delay and inconveniences experienced by all passengers on Citilink Indonesia QG800 on Dec 28, 2016," he said in a statement here today.
Benny said the management also thanked the passenger who lodged a complaint against the pilot after he was making the unclear announcement as soon as he stepped into the plane.
He said the management had decided to replace the pilot immediately before the plane finally departed.
The offloaded pilot was taken to a clinic at the airport for health examination and he was suspected to be drunk while on duty, said Benny.
The plane, carrying 154 passengers and crew, safely landed in Jakarta later. -- BERNAMA
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