Air India Chaos: Passengers Endure Nightmare Journey

The flyers recount a harrowing experience as the Lucknow-Mumbai flight faces delays and cancellation due to technical glitches.

June 17, 2024

Passengers on Air India’s Lucknow-Mumbai flight on Friday endured a nightmarish journey marked by delays, stifling heat and possible cancellation, leaving many of them stranded and frustrated at the Lucknow airport.

if the flight was canceled they said no and passengers could not book another flight in the meantime. No other flights to Mumbai were scrapped because their “cancellation announcement” came too late. When asked why they canceled, they said the crew’s flying hours for the day were pic.twitter.com/BH1NtEaolg

– Harshvardhan Bhaskar (@inkandwander) June 16, 2024

The flight, scheduled to board at 1 p.m., started an hour late without adequate cooling, forcing passengers to use makeshift fans in sweltering conditions. Initial delays were attributed to a “documentation delay,” which exacerbated the unease.

“At 3 p.m., the plane taxied briefly before returning to the boarding gate due to a technical problem with the air conditioning,” said a passenger. “We were disembarked, only to find ourselves at the Lucknow airport when we were supposed to land in Mumbai.”

As confusion grew, Air India failed to provide clear answers and basic amenities. “There was no water or food offered,” lamented one passenger. “They claimed they had no provisions and refused access to the food already on board.”

After hours of uncertainty, passengers were subjected to further delays and security checks, with some connecting flights missing. “Around 6:30 p.m., without any official announcement, a staff member informed us that the flight was canceled due to crew flight hours,” the passenger explained.

The abrupt cancellation left travelers stranded from midday until evening, with no alternative flights available due to late notification. “People were left distraught and upset,” the passenger said, highlighting the airline’s lack of transparency and support.

Dear Mr. Bhaskar, we are sorry for the inconvenience. This is not the service we want to offer our customers when they travel with us. Please help us with your flight details via DM. We will have this checked.

– Air India (@airindia) June 16, 2024

In response to the incident, Air India urged affected passengers to seek a solution, amid growing criticism over their handling of the situation.