Around 200 passengers travelling from Delhi to Dubai staged protests at Indira Gandhi International Airport after two SpiceJet flights faced repeated delays stretching beyond 24 hours.
The disruption affected SpiceJet flights SG 5111 and SG 5105, both operating on the Delhi-Dubai route.
Flight SG 5111 was originally scheduled to depart Delhi at 7:45am on Monday. The departure was postponed several times, initially to Monday evening and then to 9am on Tuesday. The aircraft had still not departed at the time of reporting, while flight tracking platform Flightradar24 listed the service as cancelled.
Flight SG 5105, meanwhile, was scheduled to leave Delhi at 6:45pm on Monday. It was later rescheduled for 12:30pm on Tuesday, but passengers remained at the airport as further delays affected the service.
Passengers Protest at Delhi Airport
Frustration among travellers led to protests at Terminal 3 late on Monday, with demonstrations continuing into Tuesday as passengers demanded clearer information about when they would be able to fly.
Passengers said they had received limited updates about revised departure schedules and complained about uncertainty surrounding food, accommodation and alternative travel arrangements.
Videos shared on social media showed stranded passengers sitting on the terminal floor while waiting for further information from the airline.
According to media reports, SpiceJet representatives were unavailable to address passenger concerns for a significant period. Delhi airport staff later stepped in to provide food and water and arrange a rest area for affected travellers.
SpiceJet Blames Aircraft Grounding
SpiceJet said the delays were caused by operational issues following the grounding of an aircraft and confirmed that alternative flights were being arranged for stranded passengers.
The airline said it was making efforts to accommodate affected travellers and reduce the inconvenience caused by the disruption.
Airport authorities have also raised the matter with senior SpiceJet officials, according to media reports.
The latest disruption comes amid wider delays and cancellations affecting some flights between India and the UAE in recent days, with passengers advised to regularly check their flight status before travelling to airports.
