Hours long delay frustrates fliers

This is the third time an Air India flight has been delayed in recent weeks

Air India flight AI865, scheduled to depart from Delhi to Mumbai, faced a delay of over two hours on Tuesday, causing significant inconvenience to passengers. The flight, originally slated for a morning departure, was rescheduled twice within a span of two hours, leaving passengers frustrated and stranded at the airport.

Flight AI865, a Boeing A350-900, was initially scheduled to depart at 10.45 am from Delhi but was delayed for almost 2.5 hours, eventually taking off at 1.21 pm and landing at Mumbai airport at 3.11 pm - 2 hours and 7 minutes after its scheduled arrival. Passengers who were made to wait at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport expressed their discomfort and frustration over the repeated delays after getting off the flight in Mumbai. Many reported a lack of clear communication from the airline staff, which compounded their anxiety.

"It was highly inconvenient. We had been waiting at IGI airport for hours with no proper explanation from the airline. This level of service is unacceptable. We had to arrive at the airport at least two hours prior which means most of us were here from 8.45 am. The flight took off at around 1.30 pm, which is generally lunchtime for people. We were kept hungry and unattended at the airport for hours without any refreshment being provided by the airline," said one irate passenger.

Air India, from its official X handle, posted, "Hi, we're sorry for the delay. Due to certain factors, the schedule gets impacted. Our team is trying its best to minimise the inconvenience caused. Please rest assured... we're alerting our ground team to the latest updates." A query sent to Air India to comment on the matter went unanswered till the time of going to press.

Show cause notice

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a show cause notice to Air India for the earlier delays and discomfort caused to passengers. According to the notice, Air India has violated provisions regarding facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines by denying boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights. "Air India has time and again failed to take due care of passengers and in compliance of CAR."