Chaos erupted at Sri Guru Ram Dass International Airport on Tuesday after passengers travelling on a SpiceJet flight from Amritsar to Dubai were left waiting for hours amid a major delay.
The flight, scheduled to depart at 8:40 am, was reportedly delayed until around 11 pm, leaving dozens of passengers stranded and frustrated at the airport.
Passengers Claim No SMS or Email About Delay
Passengers alleged that they were not informed about the prolonged delay in advance.
According to the travellers, neither an SMS nor an email was received informing them about the change in departure time. Many passengers said they only came to know about the delay after reaching the airport.
The situation became particularly difficult for families, with passengers claiming they were forced to remain outside in the scorching heat for hours.
‘70-80 Passengers Sitting Outside in the Heat’
A passenger who had travelled from Jalandhar said they were informed at the airport that the flight would now depart at around 11 pm, despite its original scheduled departure at 8:40 am.
Passengers reportedly requested the staff to at least allow them to sit inside the terminal, but alleged that their concerns were not taken seriously.
One traveller claimed that around 70 to 80 passengers, including families, were left waiting outside in the heat.
Expressing his anger over the airport arrangements, the passenger said that even a bus stand in Punjab would not be in such a poor condition.
‘Call Your Manager’: Passenger’s Heated Exchange With Staff
The growing frustration eventually turned into a heated argument between passengers and SpiceJet staff at the ticket counter.
During the confrontation, one passenger repeatedly demanded that the staff call their manager and resolve the issue.
He told the employee that the passengers did not want to cause any damage but warned that the situation could escalate if their grievances continued to be ignored.
Passenger’s Two-Point Warning to Staff
‘Call your manager and get this resolved’: The passenger asked the employee to immediately call the manager and arrange a solution for the stranded passengers or provide them with the facilities they were entitled to.
‘We will not be responsible for any damage’: The passenger warned that if the manager failed to arrive despite repeated requests and any untoward incident occurred, the staff would be held responsible.
Families Left Stranded Amid Flight Delay
With the flight reportedly delayed for several hours, passengers travelling with their families said they were facing severe inconvenience.
The incident has once again raised questions over passenger communication, airport facilities and arrangements for travellers during prolonged flight delays.
For passengers who had arrived expecting an 8:40 am departure, the wait until late evening meant spending several additional hours at the airport with little clarity about when they would finally be able to board their Dubai-bound flight.