Pune Passengers Endure Extensive Delays Deboardings on Delhi and Kolkata Flights
Delhi’s heavy rainfall turned a routine Goa-to-Delhi Akasa Air flight into a nightmare for dozens of passengers, after their aircraft was diverted to Jaipur on Wednesday night. What was supposed to be a temporary reroute escalated into a 12-hour-long ordeal, with passengers stranded at Jaipur Airport amid mounting frustration and little support.
The airline initially made passengers wait inside the grounded aircraft before arranging a hotel stay. However, what should have been a relief turned into a fresh wave of complaints. Flyers took to social media to express outrage over the “unhygienic and unacceptable” conditions of the accommodation. “Dirty bedsheets, broken AC, foul smell, mosquitoes — zero hygiene,” posted one passenger, on X (formerly Twitter), demanding accountability and basic human dignity from the airline.
Another passenger, highlighted the lack of clear communication. He was forced to check out at 5am on Thursday under the claim that the rescheduled flight was at 8am. However, the flight was pushed further to 12pm without any formal notification. “We haven’t slept since last night. No food is being provided. Passengers are being tortured at the airport,” he wrote.
The problem was compounded by the fact that Akasa Air does not operate regular flights from Jaipur, leaving stranded passengers with little assistance on the ground. Adding to the chaos, another unrelated Jaipur-Hyderabad flight was abruptly cancelled Thursday afternoon, with passengers informed only after arriving at the airport.
This incident shines a harsh light on the glaring gaps in crisis response, customer service, and infrastructure coordination during weather-related disruptions — particularly at airports where the airline has no operational base. As weather disruptions grow more frequent, such incidents underline the urgent need for standardised protocols, better communication, and humane treatment of passengers during flight delays and diversions.
