Pune: A SpiceJet flight from Pune to Delhi was delayed by nearly 12 hours on Tuesday, leaving passengers stranded at the airport for most of the day and complaining of a lack of refreshments and clear communication from the airline.
SpiceJet flight SG937 was scheduled to depart from Pune at 5.55 am but finally took off at around 5.15 pm. Passengers said they were repeatedly told that the aircraft had not yet arrived but were not given a clear timeline for the departure.
Santosh, a passenger travelling on the flight, told The Free Press Journal, “The flight was supposed to leave at 5.55 am but finally took off at 5.15 pm. We were not given refreshments, and no alternative flight was offered. The only reason we were told was that the aircraft had not arrived.”
Arjun, who was travelling to Delhi for office meetings, said, “I had important meetings scheduled in Delhi, but because of the delay, I had to miss them. We were kept waiting for hours without clear information. We had no choice but to sit and wait. We were not told the exact reason for the delay.”
Another passenger, who had planned a trip in Delhi, said, “I had made plans in Delhi based on the morning flight. The delay ruined all my plans. We kept asking the airline staff what was happening, but there was no proper answer. We were left helpless.”
A Pune Airport official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The FPJ that the delay was a SpiceJet issue and the airport was not responsible. “There is a waiting area and restroom facility at the airport. As far as refreshments are concerned, the airline should have taken care of the passengers,” the official said.
Here's What DGCA Rules Say…
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules on their official website, airlines must provide free meals and refreshments according to the waiting time when a checked-in passenger faces a delay beyond the prescribed threshold. For flights with a block time of more than 2.5 hours and up to five hours, this threshold is three hours; for other flights, the threshold can be four hours.
More importantly, if a domestic flight is expected to be delayed by more than six hours, the airline must offer the passenger the choice of an alternate flight within six hours or a full refund of the ticket. If the delay exceeds 24 hours or exceeds six hours for flights scheduled between 8 pm and 3 am, hotel accommodation, including transfers when necessary, must be provided.
The DGCA rules also require airlines to clearly communicate the reason for delays and attend to passenger grievances at airport counters.
