180 stranded as SpiceJet cancels Delhi-Pune flight after delay

More than 180 passengers were left stranded overnight at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after SpiceJet flight SG 939 to Pune was delayed for over six hours and then cancelled.

The flight was due to depart at 9:15 p.m. on July 27 but passengers remained at the airport until nearly 3:30 a.m. as the situation dragged on without resolution.

SpiceJet attributed the initial delay to a technical issue with the aircraft, which ultimately led to the flight’s cancellation later that night.

Several passengers said they received little to no communication from airline staff in the final hours of the delay, especially between 2 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.

There were also complaints that the airline failed to provide adequate food and water during the extended wait, adding to passengers’ frustration.

The episode led to a heated confrontation between affected travellers and SpiceJet ground staff, with passengers seeking answers on the spot.

Passengers have urged the DGCA and the ministry of civil aviation to investigate the incident, while SpiceJet said it arranged a replacement flight for those affected and apologised for the disruption.

DGCA rules require airlines to offer free meals and refreshments once a domestic delay passes a specified time threshold, and mandate that carriers give passengers accurate, timely information rather than vague or withheld updates.

Passengers have increasingly taken to social media to report flight delays and cancellations, often tagging the DGCA and the civil aviation ministry directly to seek faster redressal.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is India’s busiest airport, handling a high volume of daily domestic and international departures, which can compound the impact of any single flight’s delay or cancellation.

The DGCA has previously issued show-cause notices to Indian carriers over service lapses, including inadequate passenger communication and failure to provide mandated facilities during long delays.

SpiceJet is one of India’s major low-cost carriers, operating both domestic and select international routes out of hubs including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

(Image: Photo by Kprateek88, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0/2.5/2.0/1.0)