Passengers aboard an Air India flight faced a harrowing ordeal on the eve of Republic Day when their Mumbai to Dubai service was delayed for several hours, leading to protests inside the aircraft. The flight was numbered AI 909 and was scheduled for an 8:25 AM departure from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport or the CSMIA in Mumbai. However, it was grounded due to technical difficulties. A viral video showed what went down inside the grounded aircraft.
Viral Video Shows Air India Passengers Yelling To Be Let Out
The situation became particularly distressing when passengers were reportedly left stranded inside the aircraft with non-functional air conditioning, causing many to feel suffocated. A video of the incident has since gone viral on social media.
It captures the mounting tension as frustrated passengers confronted cabin crew members, with some even resorting to banging overhead compartments in protest. In the footage, passengers can be heard demanding answers and requesting to disembark.
They also expressed their loss of trust in the crew. The captain’s voice is heard explaining that “the aeroplane jack needs to be connected”, though according to passenger accounts, he remained in the cockpit throughout the ordeal.
Airlines Cites Technical Issues For The Five-Hour Delay
The pilot failed to personally address the increasingly fraught situation. After approximately five hours of waiting and escalating protests, passengers were finally permitted to disembark around 1 PM. The flight eventually took off at 4:32 PM, according to flight tracking data.
One passenger, sharing the incident on Instagram, described it as a “horrible experience” and criticised the airline’s handling of the situation. The post particularly highlighted disappointment with the service standards of Air India, which is owned by the Tata Group, noting that passengers had waited patiently for hours before losing their composure.
The incident has raised questions about Air India’s passenger communication protocols and emergency response procedures during technical delays, particularly regarding cabin conditions and passenger welfare during extended waiting periods.
Has anything like this ever happened to you or someone you know? How would you have reacted if you were in this situation? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: @udtapatang/Instagram
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