An Air India flight to San Francisco was delayed by over 20 hours, causing discomfort to passengers. The flight, initially scheduled to depart on Thursday afternoon, was rescheduled to leave at 11 AM the following day. Delhis extreme heatwave, with temperatures soaring to a record 52.9 degrees Celsius, exacerbated the situation.During the delay, passengers were asked to board the plane despite the lack of air-conditioning. This led to a distressing experience, with some passengers fainting due to the intense heat inside the aircraft. Passengers share frustration on social mediaPassengers expressed their frustration on social media platforms. One passenger, Abhishek Sharma, pleaded for swift action, emphasizing the plight of his parents and others stranded at the boarding area. Air India responded to these complaints, apologizing for the inconvenience and assuring passengers that efforts were being made to address the delay and provide necessary assistance.Heres what a passanger posted:@airindia please let mine and the numerous other parents stranded at the boarding area go home!AI 183 is over 8 hrs late. People were made to board the plane and sit without ac. Then deplaned and not allowed to enter the terminal because immigration was done#inhuman pic.twitter.com/0XdDBAovBK— Abhishek Sharma (@39Abhishek) May 30, 2024Visuals of exhausted passengersPhotos and videos shared by passengers showed people, including children, sitting on the floor and looking visibly exhausted. Many had removed their shoes, attempting to cope with the uncomfortable conditions.DGCA issues regulatory guidelinesIn response to previous chaotic situations at Delhi airport, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued guidelines in January to manage flight delays and cancellations. These guidelines mandate that airlines must offer specific facilities to passengers in case of significant delays. The DGCA emphasized that airlines should cancel flights expected to be delayed beyond three hours to prevent such prolonged and distressing experiences for passengers.
