Pune: More than 100 passengers of SpiceJet's Pune-Delhi morning flight (SG937) were stranded at the city airport for nearly the entire Friday after the flight was delayed by almost 13 hours. The flight was originally scheduled to depart Pune at 5:55 am and arrive in Delhi at 8:30 am. It eventually took off around 6:45 pm and was expected to land in Delhi at 9:20 pm.
TOI sent a detailed WhatsApp message to SpiceJet seeking comment, but a reply was awaited until press time.
Several passengers had arrived at Pune airport in the early hours of Friday. Hinjewadi-based IT professional Parth Mehrotra was at the facility as early as 2:30 am. "Just before boarding, we were informed that the flight was rescheduled to 9:30 am. We later entered the aircraft as per the revised schedule. After some time, a cabin crew member told us that a minor technical issue was being fixed. We were suddenly told to deboard after waiting for nearly two hours," Mehrotra said.
Passengers reported that the flight's departure time was revised multiple times throughout the day. "First, we were told the flight would leave at 1 pm, then 3 pm, and later at 5 pm. By then, tempers had flared and arguments broke out. The airline's ground staff members had no clear information," Mehrotra added.
According to passengers, the airline eventually offered full refunds after informing flyers that the aircraft would depart at 5:50 pm. Mehrotra noted that returning home was not practical. "The one-way cab fare to Hinjewadi is Rs 600-700. Going back home and returning again would have cost me around Rs 1,500. Many other passengers also stayed put at the airport. The airline served us lunch around 2 pm after repeated requests. For people like me, it was a more than 16-hour wait at the airport," he said.
Several passengers traveling to Delhi for work or business were forced to book last-minute tickets costing Rs 17,000-18,000. One passenger, who requested anonymity due to company policy, said, "I waited till 1 pm and booked another ticket after opting for a refund. I had spent Rs 8,000 initially, and the refund may take over a week. The new ticket cost me Rs 17,000. Airlines are troubling passengers and nobody holds them accountable."
