An Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco was delayed by 24 hours on Thursday, leading to several passengers fainting due to the lack of air conditioning inside the aircraft, according to passengers. Visuals shared on social media depicted fliers waiting in what appeared to be the alley leading to the aircraft.
The AI 183 flight faced delays due to operational issues. In response to the disruption, Air India has offered a full refund and hotel accommodations to all affected passengers.
Journalist Shweta Punj highlighted the ordeal on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the Air India flight was delayed by over eight hours. Passengers were allegedly made to board the plane and wait without air conditioning at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. After some individuals fainted, they were asked to deplane.
Shweta Punj tagged Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in her post, describing the situation as “inhuman.” She criticized Air India, stating, “If there is a privatisation story that has failed, it is Air India. The DGCA [aviation regulator] AI 183 flight has been delayed for over eight hours. Passengers were made to board the plane without air conditioning and then deplaned after some people fainted in the flight. This is inhuman.”
Air India responded to her post, expressing regret and assuring that the necessary assistance was being provided to the passengers. “We truly regret to note the disruptions. Please rest assured that our team is actively working to address the delay and appreciates your ongoing support and understanding. We are also alerting our team to provide necessary assistance to the passengers,” the airline stated.
Social media user Amadro also reported on X that his mother was stuck at the airport due to the delay, with no dinner or assistance provided to the passengers. Another user, Abhishek Sharma, urged Air India to take swift action, requesting that his parents and other stranded passengers be allowed to go home.
Air India issued apologies for the “inconvenience” and “discomfort” caused to the passengers, assuring them of the ground team’s assistance.
This incident is not isolated, as earlier this month, passengers on an Air India flight from Mumbai to San Francisco experienced a six-hour delay inside the cabin with inadequate air conditioning. The latest delay coincided with a severe heatwave in Delhi and North India, where temperatures have soared to record levels.
