In a security lapse at the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) on Wednesday, passengers from an international flight were erroneously dropped off at the exit area for domestic passengers.
It was the CISF officers at the gates of the domestic exit who found that the passengers were from an international flight. The passengers were from a flight from Muscat, Oman.
The domestic terminal does not have any immigration or customs counters to clear the entry of international passengers. The flight had halted at a remote docking facility after which the passengers were taken in four buses of which one mistakenly dropped them at the domestic exit gate.
When the error was detected, the passengers were made to re-enter the bus which transported them to the exit gate for the international passengers.
It was learnt that the agency employing the ground handling staff had been asked to provide an explanation. The driver of the bus responsible for the mix-up was suspended.