Passengers fume as SpiceJet flight to Dubai delayed by nearly 18 hours at Amritsar airport | Amritsar News

The flight, which was scheduled to depart at around 8.30 am, was initially delayed to 11.40 am. (File Photo)

AMRITSAR: Chaos erupted at Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport on Sunday as passengers of a SpiceJet flight bound for Dubai were left fuming after its departure was delayed by nearly 18 hours, with repeated changes in the schedule and no satisfactory explanation from the airline.Frustrated by the prolonged wait and lack of clarity, several agitated passengers raised slogans against SpiceJet and demanded answers, while some sought refunds after being left stranded at the airport for hours.The flight, which was scheduled to depart at around 8.30 am, was initially delayed until 11.40 am. Passengers were subsequently told it would leave at around 2 pm, only to be informed later that the departure had been pushed to around 2 am the following day.Deepak Kumar, a passenger from Phagwara, said the repeated changes had left him extremely worried as he was supposed to report for duty and feared that the prolonged delay could affect his joining.A woman passenger from Ludhiana, Anchal Sood, who was travelling with her six-year-old daughter, said she was particularly upset over the uncertainty and the long wait. She said the airline’s helpline had informed her that the flight was delayed due to a technical issue.“If there was a technical issue, why were passengers not informed beforehand?” she questioned, adding that timely information would have enabled passengers to make alternative arrangements instead of being forced to wait at the airport for hours.Several passengers also alleged that SpiceJet staff did not make any arrangements for their accommodation despite the prolonged delay. They claimed they were not even properly informed about their entitlement to hotel accommodation under applicable DGCA passenger-rights provisions.The prolonged delay was particularly difficult for passengers travelling with young children. One woman passenger was heard requesting airline staff to arrange accommodation, saying she was travelling with a child who was being breastfed and that the hot and humid conditions outside the airport were making the wait increasingly difficult. However, she alleged that she received no satisfactory response.