A Port Blair-bound Air India flight today took off without 25 passengers carrying tickets as the plane did not have the capacity to seat them, triggering protests by the travellers.

The airliner usually uses a 145-seater aircraft but today the plane was smaller with 120 seats, Air India officials said. Airport sources said Air-India's Kolkata-Port Blair flight left at 5.35 am without taking the passengers from NSC Bose international airport here.