A SpiceJet passenger aircraft.
| Photo Credit: Representational purpose
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) witnessed chaos on Wednesday afternoon as a SpiceJet flight to Prayagraj was delayed by over three hours, leaving passengers frustrated. Several videos surfaced on social media platform X, showing angry travellers, many of whom were headed to the last day of the Maha Kumbh Mela on Shivaratri, arguing with airline staff over the delay.
The flight in question, SpiceJet SG 773, was originally scheduled to depart from Hyderabad at 10 a.m. and land in Prayagraj by 12 noon. However, the delay pushed the departure to 1.43 p.m., with the flight arriving in Prayagraj at 3.39 p.m. The disruption sparked outrage among passengers, some of whom had paid a hefty sum for their tickets.
One such passenger, Samara Simha Reddy, took to X to express his frustration. Mr. Reddy, who had spent ₹42,000 per ticket to ensure he does not miss the Maha Kumbh Mela, tagged Union Minister for Civil Aviation K. Ram Mohan Naidu in his post around noon.
“The flight which was supposed to take off at 10.05 a.m. has been delayed for two hours, and now they are saying it will be further delayed. Today is the last day of the Maha Kumbh Mela, and the airline is least bothered to provide an explanation,” he wrote.
Responding to the issue, SpiceJet defended its handling of the situation, stating that passengers had been informed of the revised departure time well in advance.
“SpiceJet flight SG 773 dated February 26 scheduled to operate from Hyderabad to Prayagraj was delayed due to operational reasons. Passengers were informed about the revised departure time well in advance (8 hours prior to departure) so they could plan their journey to the airport accordingly. The flight has already landed at Prayagraj. SpiceJet regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers,” an airline spokesperson told The Hindu in a statement.
Published – February 26, 2025 08:33 pm IST