A Doha-bound Qatar Airways flight was delayed for around five hours at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here on Thursday after the pilot noticed a fire indication in the auxiliary power unit.
According to an airport official, a full emergency was declared by the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at around 3 am after the pilot of flight QR541 noticed the fire indication in the unit.
After a team of engineers checked the plane, the passengers were allowed to board the flight, which finally left for Doha at around 8.11 am, the official added.
In a statement, Qatar Airways apologised for the delay that occurred due to a technical issue on board, adding that the airlines' top priority is safety and security of the passengers.
"Qatar Airways regrets the delay to flight QR541 from Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to Doha due to a technical issue on board that resulted in a short delay. All passengers were provided refreshments," the airlines said.
"We thank our passengers for their patience and understanding, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused by this situation. The safety and security of our passengers remain Qatar Airways' top priority," it added.