189 Passengers Stranded at Ahmedabad Airport as SpiceJet Flight to Srinagar Delayed for Over 12 Hours, Fuel Supply Issue Suspected
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Around 189 passengers were left stranded at Ahmedabad airport for more than 12 hours on Monday after a SpiceJet flight to Srinagar failed to depart as scheduled, disrupting their Diwali holiday plans.
SpiceJet flight SG 9634 was scheduled to leave Ahmedabad at 8.40 am. Passengers said they had reached the airport between 5 am and 6 am, completed check-in and handed over their luggage, expecting to begin their journey to Srinagar.
However, around 8.30 am, airline staff informed them that the flight had been delayed by an hour due to technical reasons. The departure time was subsequently pushed back every one to two hours, without a clear update on when the aircraft would take off.
Even by 8 pm, the flight had not departed. Passengers said boarding began after 7.30 pm, but there was still no clarity on the departure.
The prolonged delay triggered anger inside the terminal, forcing Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel to intervene and control the situation.
Passengers Left Without Food, Access to Medicines
Passengers alleged that the airline failed to arrange refreshments or meals despite keeping them at the airport for most of the day.
The situation was particularly difficult for families travelling with children. Since their luggage had already been checked in, several passengers could not access essential items, including medicines packed in their bags.
Some passengers also reported health problems after waiting for hours.
Holiday Plans Disrupted, Financial Losses Feared
Most of the 189 passengers were travelling to Srinagar for the Diwali holidays. Several families had booked tour packages costing between ₹50,000 and ₹60,000 per person, along with hotels and vehicles for sightseeing.
The delay left them worried about losing pre-booked accommodation and transport arrangements, apart from disrupting their holiday plans.
Fuel Payment Issues Suspected, No Official Confirmation
Preliminary reports from airport sources suggested that the flight may have been unable to refuel because of payment-related issues between SpiceJet and the oil company.
According to these reports, the fuel supplier may have withheld fuel over pending payments. The airline's financial position was also cited as a possible factor.
However, there was no official confirmation that a fuel payment dispute caused the delay. The airline had initially attributed the disruption to technical reasons.
