A SpiceJet flight from Punjab’s Amritsar to Dubai has been delayed by nearly 17-18 hours, leaving passengers waiting at the airport in the heat and raising concerns over hotel arrangements, alternative tickets and the impact on their jobs and onward travel.
The flight, scheduled to depart from Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, was initially expected to leave at around 8 am. Passengers said the departure time was subsequently pushed to around 11 am before they were informed that the flight would now leave at around 2 am the following day.
Passengers have alleged that they were not given a clear explanation for the prolonged delay and that airline staff did not provide adequate assistance during the wait. Some passengers claimed they were also not given a hotel or clear information about alternative travel arrangements.
WOMAN WITH SIX-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER LEFT WAITING
Anchal Sood, who travelled from Ludhiana to Amritsar with her six-year-old daughter, said she had reached the airport by taxi to travel to Dubai.
According to Sood, the flight was initially scheduled for around 8 am. The departure was later changed to 11 am, after which she received a message informing her that the flight would now depart at around 2 am the next day.
The repeated changes meant that she and her young daughter faced a wait of nearly 18 hours at the airport.
Sood said she had contacted the airline’s customer helpline to find out why the flight had been delayed. She was allegedly told that there was a technical problem with the aircraft.
She questioned why passengers were not informed earlier if a technical issue had been affecting the flight for several days.
“If there is a technical problem, why are passengers not informed in advance?” she asked, raising concerns about passenger safety as well as the way the airline was handling the situation.
Sood also questioned the lack of arrangements for passengers facing such a long delay.
She said she had expected information about hotel accommodation, alternative tickets or other assistance but alleged that no clear arrangement was communicated to her.
Travelling with a six-year-old child, she said remaining at the airport in the heat for such a long period was particularly difficult.
‘OUR JOB IS IN DANGER’, SAYS DUBAI-BOUND PASSENGER
Deepak Kumar, who was travelling from Phagwara to Dubai, said he had travelled around 250 kilometres to reach Amritsar airport for the flight.
Kumar said his flight was originally scheduled for 8:40 am. The departure was later shifted to 11 am and subsequently to around 2:30 am. He said even the revised departure time was not confirmed.
“We are very worried. We have been facing this SpiceJet problem for the past 15 days,” Kumar said, according to his account of the situation.
He said he was travelling to Dubai to join duty and was now worried that the prolonged delay could affect his employment.
“Our duty is to join on time. We don’t know what will happen,” he said.
When asked whether he feared losing his job because of the delay, Kumar replied, “Yes, our job is in danger.”
He also said relatives had come to receive passengers and were themselves worried because of the uncertainty surrounding the flight.
PASSENGERS SEEK HOTEL, ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL
Passengers said they approached the airline about accommodation because of the overnight delay but alleged that they were not given a hotel room.
Kumar said passengers asked the airline to arrange a room or hotel but were told that nothing could be done for them.
Sood also alleged that despite the prolonged delay, she was not given a clear explanation about hotel accommodation or an alternative ticket.
In her account, she said customer care representatives had directed her to approach the airport or another office for assistance. She questioned why passengers who had already reached the airport and were facing a delay caused by the airline should have to make further arrangements themselves.
The passengers said the issue was particularly difficult for those travelling with children, those who had come from distant places and those who had fixed work or duty commitments in Dubai.
PASSENGERS CLAIM TECHNICAL PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED
Several passengers also raised questions about an alleged recurring technical issue.
Sood said the airline’s helpline had cited a technical problem as the reason for the delay. Passengers claimed they had been hearing about problems with the flight over the past several days.
They questioned why passengers were not warned earlier if there was an ongoing technical issue that could affect the flight schedule.
The concern was not limited to inconvenience caused by the delay. Sood also raised questions about aircraft safety, saying that if there was a technical problem, passenger safety should remain the first priority.
Passengers said they could have made alternative arrangements if they had been given timely information about the possibility of a lengthy delay.
HEAT, LONG WAIT ADD TO PASSENGERS’ WOES
With the flight pushed back repeatedly, passengers said they were forced to spend several additional hours at the airport.
Those travelling with children said the prolonged wait was particularly difficult, while passengers travelling for work said they were worried about missing their reporting or joining time in Dubai.
Passengers also said the delay could affect connecting journeys and other arrangements made around their arrival in Dubai.
They demanded that the airline provide a clear reason for the delay, make necessary arrangements for passengers facing an extended wait and offer refunds or alternative travel options wherever applicable under the relevant rules.
For passengers who had already travelled long distances to reach Amritsar airport, the uncertainty over when the flight would actually depart added to their frustration.
The passengers are now seeking clarity from SpiceJet on the technical issue, the revised departure schedule and the assistance available to those affected by the prolonged delay.
– Ends
Published By:
Sonali Verma
Published On:
Aug 30, 2026 16:55 IST
