Pune: There was major panic among passengers on board the SG-1080 SpiceJet flight from Goa to Pune on Tuesday evening after a window frame popped out mid-air. The airline, however, said that passenger safety was not compromised as there was no cabin depressurisation. The outer layers of the window pane remained intact, SpiceJet said in a statement.
The Indian Express has quoted a passenger named Mandar Sawant as saying: “I was travelling back from Goa to Pune after attending an event. A woman was sitting behind me and she was with a baby. Half an hour after takeoff, the window (close to her) just popped out. The woman got scared and it was damn concerning. There is a protective layer behind the window that protects us from the elements outside, and it was intact, but it is still concerning. This is not done.”
“The flight attendants tried to calm us down, but what else will they even do? They moved the woman and her child to a different seat behind. The stewardess did manage to somewhat get the window back on, but any sudden movement and it probably would have fallen off again,” he added.
The flight was scheduled to take off at 5.20 pm but it departed an hour and a half late at 6.55 pm.
“We got to know at the airport that the flight was delayed the previous day as well due to ‘technical issues. I did not receive any message or update from the airline about the delay’,” Sawant said.
A SpiceJet spokesperson shared a statement with the newspaper, saying: “A cosmetic window frame on one of SpiceJet’s Q400 aircraft became loose during flight and was found dislodged. It is important to note that this was a non-structural trim component, fitted onto the window for the purpose of shade, and did not compromise the safety or integrity of the aircraft in any way. Cabin pressurisation remained normal throughout the flight, and there was no impact on passenger safety.”
“The Q400 aircraft is equipped with multiple layers of window panes, including a robust, pressure-bearing outer pane, ensuring that passenger safety is never at risk, even in the unlikely event of a superficial or cosmetic component coming loose. The frame was fixed upon landing at the next station, in accordance with standard maintenance procedures,” it added.
The Bombardier Q400, also known as the Dash 8-400, is a Canadian-made turboprop aircraft known for its speed and efficiency in regional routes.
