New Delhi: Passengers booked on two SpiceJet flights staged a demonstration at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi on Tuesday due to inordinate delays.
Both flights were delayed for several hours, with one of them remaining grounded for more than 24 hours.
The passengers gathered inside the airport terminal and staged a sit-in, demanding answers from the airline over the prolonged delays and uncertainty surrounding their departure. Videos from the airport showed several passengers sitting on the floor while waiting for updates, as reported by News18.
One of the affected flights to Dubai was scheduled to leave Delhi on Monday morning. The second flight, scheduled for Monday evening, was also delayed into Tuesday.
SpiceJet flight SG 5111 was originally scheduled to depart Delhi for Dubai at 7.45 am on Monday. The flight was delayed several times during the day. Its departure was first pushed to Monday evening and later rescheduled for 9 am on Tuesday. However, it got further delayed.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed the status of SG 5111 as “cancelled”.
The prolonged delay left passengers stranded at the airport for more than a day, prompting them to protest against the airline and seek clarity on when they would be able to leave for Dubai.
Another SpiceJet service, SG 5105, was scheduled to leave Delhi for Dubai at 6.45 pm on Monday. The flight was subsequently delayed to 12 pm on Tuesday. Passengers said they had not received any fresh update from SpiceJet regarding the flight.
Passengers then gathered inside the terminal and expressed their frustration over the lack of information and uncertainty about their travel plans.
Airport authorities were helping the stranded passengers while they awaited further information about the flights. Food and refreshments were also being arranged for passengers at the airport, sources said.
A SpiceJet spokesperson said that the delays were due to operational reasons.
“SpiceJet flights SG 5111 and SG 5105, operating from Delhi to Dubai, have been delayed due to operational reasons following the grounding of an aircraft. Alternate flights are being arranged to accommodate the affected passengers, and the airline is making every effort to minimise the inconvenience caused,” the spokesperson said.