Chaos erupted at West Bengal’s Bagdogra Airport after a SpiceJet staff member got into a heated verbal altercation with passengers following the cancellation of a Delhi-bound flight, with a viral video showing the employee allegedly hurling abuses as CISF personnel intervened to control the situation. The incident, which took place last week, has triggered widespread criticism online over the conduct of airline staff and the handling of passenger grievances during flight disruptions.
Trigger Warning: Abusive Language Used. Viewers Discretion Advised.
Viral Video Shows Staffer Hurling Abuses At Passengers
Videos circulating on social media show chaotic scenes at the airport as angry passengers confronted SpiceJet employees over repeated delays and the eventual cancellation of flight SG 151 to Delhi. During the argument, one female staff member was allegedly heard shouting abuses at passengers, while Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel attempted to calm both sides and restore order.
According to reports, the flight was originally scheduled to depart from Bagdogra at 4:10 pm on June 13 but faced multiple delays throughout the day.
Passenger Noman Shaikh claimed travellers were initially informed that the flight would depart around 10 pm before being told later in the evening that it had been cancelled altogether. “We were informed that the flight would depart at 10 pm. However, later in the evening, we were told that it had been cancelled,” Shaikh alleged, as reported by India Today.
Passengers also accused the airline of poor handling of the situation, alleging that no hotel accommodation was arranged after the cancellation. Some travellers further claimed they were served undercooked food while waiting at the airport. As tempers flared, the confrontation escalated into a public shouting match between passengers and airline staff, drawing the attention of CISF personnel stationed at the airport.
Spicejet Issues Statement, Suspends Staffer Seen In Viral Video
Following the controversy and viral circulation of the video online, SpiceJet issued a statement confirming disciplinary action against the staff member involved in the incident. “Due to this unpredictable cancellation, some of the irate passengers and our staff members got involved into a verbal altercation,” the airline said, according to the report.
SpiceJet added that the employee seen in the viral clip has been immediately suspended from service and sent for refresher training. The airline maintained that the disruption was caused by operational difficulties and adverse weather conditions, which had earlier forced the aircraft to divert to Kolkata before the cancellation decision was taken.
