Austrian airline denies demanding extra 20,000 pounds from passengers as fuel cost

London, Nov 17(ANI): An Austrian airline has denied asking passengers to pay 20,000 pounds as fuel cost during their journey to the United Kingdom.

Passengers had earlier claimed that Comtel Air had asked them to pay for fuel when the flight, which was travelling from Amritsar to Birmingham, stopped in Vienna.

Other passengers have been left stranded in India after flights were cancelled following the incident, The BBC reports.

An airline statement said it hoped to carry the remaining passengers to the UK as soon as possible, without claiming any extra cost.

Comtel Air's Passenger Service Director Bhunpinder Kandra said "there may have been some operational problem" but denied people were asked to pay for fuel in Vienna.

"I have heard what happened, it shouldn't have happened, and I will investigate why it happened. The people who had to pay the money will receive a refund," the Press Association, however, quoted him, as saying.

Kandra said he hoped the situation would be resolved "within the week", and that a flight would be leaving Amritsar for the UK on November 18.

According to a Birmingham Airport statement, a probe into the incident is underway.

"We are aware that a number of British nationals have been affected by difficulties with Comtel airlines flights from Amritsar to Birmingham via Vienna", a UK Foreign Office statement said.

"We have been, and remain, in touch with the relevant authorities including the airline for clarification on how British nationals due to fly in the coming days will be affected," it added. (ANI)