Pune: Flight Delays and Cancelations Cause Distress and Chaos at Pune Airport

Passengers were left stranded and upset at the Pune airport on Tuesday due to flight delays and cancellations.

A SpiceJet flight from Jaipur was delayed by over four hours, while a Pune-Bengaluru flight was delayed by five hours. Another Pune-Patna flight, which was scheduled to take off via Hyderabad, was delayed by over four hours.

Due to these delays and cancellations, passengers were not only inconvenienced but also missed several important appointments and events. A passenger, who was going to attend a wedding, could not attend it due to the flight delay.

Waiting at Mumbai Airport… Travelled from Pune to Mumbai to catch the morning flight of #spicejet SG-950 at 7:35 am, and after coming to Mumbai they tell us that the flight is canceled and they have scheduled the next day flight. 😡 #worstairline

— Suraj Patil (@SurajPatil9800) November 25, 2024

The airline described the delay as “maintenance as per plan”, but passengers were not satisfied. An angry passenger asked, “What does maintenance as per plan mean?” He said, “It was their problem, and they deliberately delayed the flight and just informed the passengers as if everything will be fine.”

Another passenger travelling to Bengaluru by IndiGo, reported a delay of over five hours. He said, “The passengers were very angry. Some snacks were served around 10:45 am when the argument started.”

Delays were reported from flights other than SpiceJet and IndiGo. Suraj Patil, a city resident, said his SpiceJet flight to Darbhanga was cancelled due to bad weather, but he got the information via email after midnight, leaving him with no alternative options.

Pune airport authorities attributed these delays to congestion, but passengers were unhappy. “It is not just about delays, but lack of information and alternative options,” said a passenger.

@flyspicejet No one is providing any solution, atleast spicejet can provide lounge access for Jaipur-pune flight customers, also why delay information coming so late? We would not have checked out hotel in such case.

— aarzu14 (@Aarbhi1995) November 25, 2024

The incident highlights the need for airlines to improve their communication systems and customer service. As one passenger said, “We pay for a service, and it is the airline’s responsibility to provide it.”

A passenger, who was travelling on the Pune-Bhubaneswar flight, cited the delay in Air India Express’ Pune flight and complained that the Bhubaneswar flight was also delayed due to this reason.

This phenomenon is not limited to Pune but flight delays and cancellations have become a growing problem across the country, causing increasing inconvenience and frustration to passengers.