More than 100 passengers staged a protest at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after two SpiceJet flights bound for Dubai faced extreme delays of up to 29–30 hours.
The affected flights were SG 5111 and SG 5105, both operating on the Delhi–Dubai route. Passengers remained stranded at Terminal 3 from Monday into Tuesday, with many sitting on the floor and raising slogans against the airline.
Flight Delays
SG 5111: Originally scheduled for Monday morning (around 7:45–8:30 am), it finally departed around 2 pm on Tuesday — a delay of nearly 30 hours. It carried approximately 130 passengers.
SG 5105: Scheduled for Monday evening (around 6:45–10:10 pm), it faced a delay of nearly 19 hours before departing on Tuesday. It had about 160 passengers on board.
A third flight, SG 9511, was also rescheduled.
Videos circulating on social media showed exhausted travellers waiting for updates, demanding clarity on departure times, food, and accommodation. Airport staff later provided food and water, while officials engaged with the airline.
By Tuesday afternoon/evening, the two main flights had departed for Dubai, according to the airline.
Passenger Frustration
Travellers reported limited communication from airline staff for extended periods, leading to sit-in protests at multiple points inside Terminal 3. The prolonged wait turned a routine short-haul international journey into an overnight ordeal for many.
The incident has once again highlighted challenges related to operational disruptions and passenger assistance during major delays at Indian airports.