A SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Pune, SG 939, was delayed for more than six hours and then cancelled, stranding over 180 passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport overnight.
The flight had been due to depart at 9:15 p.m. on July 27, but the delay continued until passengers were told around 3:30 a.m. that it had been called off.
SpiceJet said the cause was a technical issue with the aircraft that could not be resolved in time for the flight to operate.
Passengers said they were given little information about the flight’s status in the hours leading up to the cancellation.
There were also complaints that the airline had not arranged adequate food or water for those waiting through the night.
The delay led to a tense standoff between stranded passengers and SpiceJet ground staff at the airport.
SpiceJet said an additional flight was arranged for affected travellers, while passengers have asked the DGCA to investigate how the situation was handled.
Under DGCA rules, airlines are required to provide free meals and refreshments once a delay crosses a specified threshold, and must give passengers truthful and timely updates on the status of a delayed flight.
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.
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.
(Image: Photo by Kprateek88, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0/2.5/2.0/1.0)
