Air India Flight Delayed by 20 Hours: Passengers Suffer Without AC, Some Faint

 New Delhi: Passengers on an Air India flight to San Francisco endured a harrowing experience after a delay of over 20 hours. The flight, initially scheduled to depart on Thursday afternoon, was rescheduled to leave at 11 am the following day. The delay not only caused significant inconvenience but also led to a highly uncomfortable situation where passengers were made to sit in an aircraft without air-conditioning, resulting in some people fainting due to the heat.

 

A Chaotic Sequence of Events

The ordeal began when flight No. AI 183 was delayed by over eight hours at Delhi airport. Shweta Punj, a journalist, highlighted the distressing conditions in a post on X (formerly Twitter). According to Punj, passengers were boarded onto the plane and left to sit without air-conditioning, despite Delhi experiencing a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring to a record 52.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

 

Passengers Made to Board and Then Deplane

"People were made to board the plane and sit without air-conditioning," Punj wrote. The situation worsened as the oppressive heat inside the plane caused some passengers to faint. Following this, they were told to exit the aircraft, only to find themselves in limbo due to completed immigration procedures preventing them from re-entering the terminal.

 

Social Media Outcry

Shweta Punj tagged Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in her post, describing the incident as "inhuman" and a failure of Air India's privatisation. Her post quickly gained attention, prompting a response from Air India's social media team.

 

"Dear Ms. Punj, we truly regret to note the disruptions. Please be rest assured that our team is actively working to address the delay and appreciate your ongoing support and understanding. We are also alerting our team to provide necessary assistance to the passengers," Air India responded on X.

 

Stranded Passengers Seek Relief

Another passenger, Abhishek Sharma, also took to X to express his frustration and appeal for swift action. "AI 183 is over eight hours late. People were made to board the plane and sit without AC. Then deplaned and not allowed to enter the terminal because immigration was done," Sharma posted.

 

Visuals shared by several passengers show the exhausted travelers, including children, sitting on the floor and some even taking off their shoes to cope with the discomfort. The scenes painted a grim picture of the ordeal faced by those on flight AI 183.

 

The Broader Implications

This incident has raised questions about Air India's preparedness and customer service standards, especially in light of the extreme weather conditions in Delhi. It also highlights the challenges faced by the aviation industry in managing delays and ensuring passenger comfort and safety.

 

Air India's Response

Air India's handling of the situation has come under scrutiny, with many questioning the airline's crisis management and communication strategies. The uniform response provided to multiple passengers on social media further fueled frustrations, as it seemed to lack a personalized approach to addressing individual concerns.

 

 

The significant delay of Air India flight AI 183 and the subsequent suffering of its passengers underscore the urgent need for better contingency planning and passenger care protocols in the aviation sector. As passengers await a resolution, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the human impact of operational disruptions and the importance of maintaining high standards of service, even amidst challenges.