Passengers protest in Thiruvananthapuram airport following cancellation of Air India Express flight to Sharjah

Passengers protested at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Friday (September 18, 2026) after an Air India Express flight to Sharjah was cancelled, according to airport sources.

The passengers, who arrived at the airport in the morning, protested, alleging that the flight was cancelled at the last minute.

Airline’s clarification

A total of 176 passengers were scheduled to travel on the flight. However, the airline authorities clarified that the cancellation, due to operational reasons, had been intimated to the passengers well in advance. They said only a handful of passengers, most of whom had booked their tickets through travel agents, had reached the airport unaware of the development and staged a protest.

“In fact, the cancellation message and details of the alternative arrangements made for the passengers were sent to the phone numbers provided at the time of booking. It seems the agents failed to communicate the information to the passengers in advance, even though it had been communicated by the airline. We have provided alternative arrangements for the passengers to travel to Sharjah on different flights based on their convenience, including refunds for those who wish to cancel their journey,” airline sources said.