SpiceJet Passengers Protest At Delhi Airport After Dubai Flights Face 24-Hour Delays

Around 200 passengers staged sit-in protests at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport after two Dubai-bound SpiceJet flights were delayed by more than 24 hours. The prolonged disruptions at Terminal 3 prompted frustrated travelers to raise slogans against the carrier while confronting airport staff over a lack of communication and basic provisions.

The affected services, flights SG 5111 and SG 5105, were originally scheduled to depart on Monday morning and evening, respectively. Instead, repeated rescheduling left passengers stranded at the airport for over a day, triggering spontaneous demonstrations and widespread online reactions that highlighted the operational strains facing the airline.

Flight SG 5111 was initially slated for departure at 7:45 am on Monday but was pushed to 9:00 am on Tuesday, according to open-source aviation data and airline schedules. Similarly, flight SG 5105, which was scheduled to leave at 6:45 pm on Monday, faced multiple postponements before being rescheduled to 12:30 pm on Tuesday, and later pushed further to 1:00 am on Wednesday.

A SpiceJet spokesperson attributed the disruptions to operational reasons following the grounding of an aircraft. The airline stated that alternate flights were being arranged to accommodate the stranded passengers and issued an apology for the severe inconvenience caused by the cascading delays.

Stranded travelers staged sit-in demonstrations across Terminal 3 starting late Monday evening. Videos circulating from the airport captured protesters chanting slogans such as 'SpiceJet chor hai' and 'SpiceJet haye haye', while social media users colloquially referred to the airline as 'MasalaJet' amid mounting public frustration.

According to reports citing sources at the scene, no SpiceJet representatives were present to address passenger grievances for a prolonged period. Airport staff eventually intervened, providing food, water, and rest areas for the affected individuals after hours of uncertainty.

Tensions escalated further when a passenger recording the chaotic scenes confronted an airport official who told them that video recording was prohibited. An argument ensued during which the official told the traveler to take an exit or a refund, prompting sharp criticism from passengers over unprofessional behavior and the complete absence of airline personnel to answer queries.

PTI reported that airport officials formally took up the matter with SpiceJet executives as the protests persisted. The latest incident compounds ongoing operational and financial pressures surrounding the carrier, which has faced increased regulatory attention.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu told PTI that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are closely monitoring SpiceJet's financials and operations. Affected passengers await the rescheduled departures and confirmed arrangements for alternate flights.