A SpiceJet flight to Pune, SG 939, was delayed by more than six hours before being cancelled at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, stranding over 180 passengers.

The flight had a scheduled 9:15 p.m. departure on July 27, but passengers remained at the airport until nearly 3:30 a.m. as the delay dragged on.

SpiceJet said a technical issue with the aircraft was behind the delay, which ultimately resulted in the flight being cancelled.

Passengers said communication from the airline was poor in the last hours of the wait, especially between 2 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.

There were also complaints that no proper food or drink arrangements were made for those waiting through the night.

The delay led to visible frustration among passengers, resulting in a tense confrontation with SpiceJet ground staff.

Passengers have sought a DGCA probe into the incident, and SpiceJet said an additional flight was arranged for all affected travellers along with an apology for the inconvenience.

DGCA regulations require Indian carriers to provide passengers with free meals and refreshments once a delay crosses a specified threshold, along with accurate and timely updates on the flight’s status.

The regulator’s rules also require airlines to arrange free hotel accommodation and transport for passengers facing an unplanned overnight delay, rather than leaving travellers to arrange and later claim reimbursement themselves.

SpiceJet is one of India’s major low-cost carriers, operating both domestic and select international routes out of hubs including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

Passengers have increasingly taken to social media to report flight delays and cancellations, often tagging the DGCA and the civil aviation ministry directly to seek faster redressal.

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is India’s busiest airport, handling a high volume of daily domestic and international departures, which can compound the impact of any single flight’s delay or cancellation.

(Image: Photo by Kprateek88, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0/2.5/2.0/1.0)

Delhi’s IGI Airport confirmed on Tuesday that flights were operating normally even as the India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for heavy rain across the NCR.

The airport’s advisory, issued through operator Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), said adverse weather was expected through the day, but that flight operations had not been affected so far.

Passengers were advised to check their flight status directly with their respective airlines before leaving for the airport, in case conditions changed quickly.

Air India, SpiceJet and IndiGo separately issued advisories, asking travellers to keep track of their flight timings during the red alert period.

According to the IMD, Delhi, Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad were expected to see cloudy skies, intermittent light to moderate rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds through the day, with an additional spell of rain forecast for the evening or night.

An orange alert has also been placed on the region for the next 48 hours, pointing to further showers even once Tuesday’s red alert conditions ease.

This follows a similar red alert a day earlier for eastern Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Maharashtra, where the IMD warned of extremely heavy rainfall and flash flood risk, part of an active monsoon spell across northern and western India.

Comparable alerts had also covered Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir earlier in the week as the same system moved across the region.

Authorities also warned of possible traffic congestion and waterlogging in low-lying areas of the city due to the intensity of the rain.

Commuters were advised to check road conditions before travelling and avoid flooded stretches, even as the airport reported no disruption to flight schedules, with travellers encouraged to allow extra time given the unsettled weather expected in the days ahead.

Passengers have also been pointed to the airport’s official website and social media channels, where live flight information is being updated through the day.

(Image: Biswarup Ganguly (CC BY 3.0))

Srinagar Airport’s 8 am-5 pm flight operating window extends to July 31, as part of an Indian Air Force runway upgrade that began on April 6.

This is a temporary change from the airport’s usual hours of operation, which run from 8 am to 10 pm.

Around 60 flights, covering arrivals and departures, typically operate at the airport each day under normal conditions.

The shortened window is meant to support the runway upgrade work, which is aimed at improving operational efficiency and safety.

Officials have indicated that flight frequency will increase in line with the summer schedule approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation once the upgrade is complete.

(Image: Vinayaraj (CC BY-SA 4.0))