A SpiceJet flight from Ahmedabad to Bagdogra was cancelled without prior announcement on November 15, leaving about 35 passengers stranded at Ahmedabad airport and seeking clarity on refunds and alternative travel arrangements. The airport authority was reportedly informed only that the cancellation was caused by a technical issue.
Passengers said they had arrived at the airport hours before the scheduled departure but were not allowed to enter by airline staff, who initially told them that the flight was delayed. According to the passengers, no cancellation message or email was sent by the airline before they reached the airport.
One passenger, Vanitaben, said she had arrived at about 2pm with four members of her family because her husband, who serves in the Air Force, had to report for duty by the final date. She said the family was unable to travel as planned and was not given a clear explanation about when the flight would operate or what arrangements would be made for them.
The affected group also included passengers who had travelled from Vadodara to board the flight. Many of them were senior citizens, according to the report. Passengers said the sudden cancellation disrupted hotel bookings and holiday plans, while also creating difficulty for those who needed to reach Bagdogra and continue their journeys.
Passengers alleged that the airline counter was initially shut and that, after repeated requests, staff stamped “refund” on their tickets. They said they were not given a definite timeline for the money to be credited to their bank accounts. The passengers had reportedly spent between Rs 40,000 and Rs 50,000 on the tickets and said they could not easily arrange additional money to book another flight at short notice.
According to the passengers, airline staff said refunds could take between seven and eight days, or possibly as long as a month. The travellers demanded that the full fare be returned at the earliest and that the airline compensate them for the disruption and expenses arising from the cancellation.
The report said attempts to contact SpiceJet for a response were unsuccessful. Ahmedabad airport authorities were informed by the airline that the flight had been cancelled for technical reasons. No further details about the technical problem, an alternative flight, passenger accommodation or the exact refund schedule were available in the supplied report.
