Jet Airways flight turns back as passengers fall sick after air pressure mix up

Several passengers on the Jet Airways flight 9W 697 suffered nose and ear bleeding and the pilot had to turn back to Mumbai airport to rectify the mistake.

Around 30 passengers experienced nose and ear bleeding, with at least one person partially losing hearing. 

“During climb, the crew forgot to select the bleed switch due to which cabin pressurisation could not be maintained. As a result, oxygen masks got deployed,” the official at aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said.

The Boeing 737 aircraft returned to Mumbai due to “loss of cabin pressure” and the pilots had been taken off duty pending investigation, a Jet Airways spokesperson said.

Citing initial information, the official said a few passengers had nose-bleeding.

“Out of 166 passengers on board, 30 passengers are affected...some have nose-bleeding, a few have ear-bleeding and some are complaining of headache,” he added.

There were 166 passengers and five crew members on board flight 9W 697.

The Jet Airways spokesperson expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers and said alternative arrangements were being made for the passengers.

Video footage on news channels showed oxygen masks hanging from overhead compartments and passengers breathing through them. 

The airline official said all affected passengers were being attended to by doctors at the airport.

According to the airline, the aircraft landed normally in Mumbai.

“All guests were deplaned safely and taken to the terminal. First-aid was administered to a few guests who complained of ear pain, bleeding nose, etc,” it said.

The civil aviation ministry said it had requested the DGCA to immediately file the report on the issue.

“The crew is being derostered. Of the 166 people on board, 30 were affected and have been given treatment,” the ministry said in a tweet.