Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj voiced his dissatisfaction with Air India Express after facing an unpleasant travel ordeal on Wednesday night. Siraj took to social media to share his frustration, stating that his flight (IX 2884) from Guwahati to Hyderabad, scheduled to depart at 7:25 pm, did not take off as planned. According to him, passengers received no clear explanation from the airline despite repeated attempts to get updates, forcing them to wait for hours at the airport.
“Air India flight No. IX 2884 from Guwahati to Hyderabad was supposed to depart at 7:25pm, yet there has been no communication from the airline. Even after repeated follow-ups, they’ve only delayed the flight without giving any proper reason. It’s extremely frustrating, and this is the basic expectation of any passenger,” Siraj wrote on X.
He went on to add, “Flight delayed by 4 hours and still no update has left us stranded. Worst airline experience,” warning fellow travelers to reconsider booking with the carrier unless it “can take a stand.”
Airline issues apology
Shortly after the post gained attention, Air India Express responded publicly on X, apologising to Siraj and other passengers for the inconvenience. The airline cited “unforeseen operational reasons” as the cause behind the cancellation and mentioned that its ground staff were assisting affected passengers with necessary arrangements.
India lose series to South Africa
Siraj was returning home to Hyderabad following India’s crushing 408-run defeat to South Africa, which completed a 0-2 sweep in the two-Test series. The result marked India’s heaviest loss by runs in Test history and South Africa’s biggest-ever Test win against India.
Earlier in the series, India had lost the opening Test in Kolkata by 30 runs. The team will look to regroup when they face South Africa again in a three-match ODI series beginning on November 30.
