Hundreds of tourists stranded in ‘world’s weirdest city’ – country has strict £23 rule | World | News
Hundreds of tourists were left stuck after they were forced to make an emergency landing in Turkmenistan. Passengers on the Air France flight from Bengaluru, India, to Paris were forced to spend a second day stuck in limbo after a fault with one of the plane’s engines.
Air France flight AF191 was scheduled to depart from the Indian city at 2 am local time on Monday, January 12. However, the aircraft was delayed due to a technical issue. The plane finally took off, for what was meant to be a 10-hour journey from Bengaluru, India, to Paris CDG, France. It flew normally over India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but a fault developed in one of the engines after four hours.
The aircraft landed at Ashgabat airport in Turkmenistan. It arrived at the terminal at 3.38am local time and taxied to a remote stand.
Taking to social media, on X, one person posting under the name of Aniket, said: “My brother’s flight AF191 was supposed to depart at 2am on 12th Jan, got rescheduled to 10pm due to technical issues and now got diverted/stranded at Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
“It is expected to depart at 1pm on 14th Jan. No visa.The AirFrance helpline is 45min waiting and not providing proper answers.
“If the aircraft is having issue, they shall urgently arrange alternatives and ensure passenger safety and way we can connect with our family.”
Turkmenistan has strict visa rules. Visitors need a letter of invitation, issued by a travel agent, and a payment of around £37.
The Foreign Office adds: “All travellers by air must undergo a Covid-19 test upon arrival at Ashgabat airport, which costs $31 (£23).” Payment must be made in cash.
According to reports, a replacement Air France aircraft departed from Paris CDG to Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, early on Tuesday afternoon to rescue the passengers.
It is scheduled to arrive at 8.27pm on Tuesday, local time. A 1pm Wednesday departure for Paris looks like it may be possible, according to reports in The Independent.
The Express has contacted Air France for comment.
Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler said Ashgabat is even stranger than North Korea’s capital. He wrote: “Pyongyang was easily the weirdest city I’d ever seen until I arrived in Ashgabat. It felt like some dystopian, post-disaster movie set where the buildings are untouched, but the people are all gone.”
