Written by Vaishnavi Gujar
More than 150 passengers suffered serious inconvenience after Air India accident Pune–Delhi The flight was delayed more than five hours on Tuesday due to a technical issue, forcing passengers to sit inside the plane for nearly 90 minutes before being asked to disembark. The incident disrupted the travel plans of several passengers, many of whom had connections, meetings and visa appointments in Delhi.
The Airbus A321, which was operating flight AI 2470, was scheduled to depart Pune at 7:40 a.m. and arrive in Delhi at 9:55 a.m. However, the plane finally took off at 12.50 pm and landed in Delhi around 2.30 pm.
According to an airline source, a technical problem, followed by a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued at the airport between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., contributed to the long delay. India did not issue an official response despite a query sent by The indian express until the time of going to press.
Most of the passengers arrived at the airport at five in the morning. Boarding began around 7:00 a.m. and ended at 7:20 a.m. The aircraft began taxiing toward the runway at around 7:30 a.m., but stopped shortly after and returned to the bay.
“They informed us about a technical problem, but did not give us any detailed explanation. We sat inside the plane for a long time,” said one passenger. After some passengers protested, some were allowed to disembark, while others chose to wait in the hope that the issue would be resolved. Around 9:30 a.m., the crew announced that all passengers would have to get off the plane.
Passengers were asked to reboard around 12:20 p.m. and the flight finally took off about 30 minutes later.
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Another passenger, who requested anonymity, said the delay forced him to cancel his travel plans. “The entire purpose of going to Delhi was defeated. Many passengers missed connecting flights, important meetings and visa appointments,” he said.
According to sources, some passengers were forced to book last-minute tickets at high prices on other flights to reach Delhi on time.
The Indian Express contacted an Air India spokesperson for a statement on the delay. This story will be updated when a statement is received.
Akasa Air passengers were stranded for 11 hours
On January 17, more than 150 passengers were stranded at the Pune airport for nearly 11 hours after the Akasa Air plane landed in Pune.Ahmedabad Flight QP-1509 faced repeated delays before being cancelled. The flight, which was due to depart at 10:10 p.m., was postponed several times due to changing boarding gates, causing confusion and distress, especially among the elderly, women and children.
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Akasa Air cited operational limitations and crew duty time limits, saying safety rules prevented the operation. An additional flight operated the following morning.
However, passengers alleged poor communication, refreshment delays and overcrowded hotel arrangements, raising concerns about passenger handling during disruptions.