Air India flight delayed by 20 hours, passengers at Delhi airport faint after AC failure; see distressing pics

Amid rising temperatures in the national capital, passengers on Air India flight AI 183 to San Francisco allegedly fainted due to the lack of air-conditioning after the flight was delayed for over several hours on Thursday. The Tata-owned flight, initially scheduled to depart Thursday afternoon, is now set to take off at 11 AM on Friday, resulting in a delay of more than 20 hours.

"@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," a passengers Abhishek Sharma said in a post on X on Thursday.

In an another post, Sharma added, "@airindia took passengers to a hotel. Room was provided by 2am. A new boarding pass was provided with departure time of 11am. Parents are back at the airport and it seems even this flight is cancelled. No one from @airindia is helping !"

In response to Sharma's post, an Air India X bot responded, "Dear Mr. Sharma, we understand the inconvenience this delay has caused and sincerely apologize. Our team is dedicated to finding the best possible alternatives for our passengers and ensuring a comfortable journey. Please reach out to our ground team for immediate support."

Sharma further responded stating, "I appreciate the response but please convert that into action. 10 hrs should be enough time for your team to take act and make things comfortable for passengers!@DGCAIndia @JM_Scindia @PMOIndia must take note that these horror stories are a daily affair with @airindia."

Another passenger, Shweta Punj, shared a similar experience. "If there is a privatisation story that has failed it is @Air India @DGCAINDIA AI 183 flight has been delayed for over eight hours, passengers were made to board the plane without air-conditioning, and then deplaned after some people fainted in the flight. This is inhuman," the journlist said in the post on X, tagging Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

In response to the complaint raised by the passenger on social media, the Air India X bot handle responded to her: "Dear Ms. Punj, we truly regret to note the disruptions. Please be rest assured that our team is actively working to address the delay and appreciate your ongoing support and understanding. We are also alerting our team to provide necessary assistance to the passengers."

Visuals shared by many passengers show people, including children, sitting on the floor, with some having removed their shoes. In a similar incident last week, passengers on an Air India flight from Mumbai to San Francisco endured a five-hour wait inside the aircraft. An airline official explained that the Boeing 777, scheduled to depart at 1600 hours, was initially delayed due to a technical glitch, followed by some passengers deboarding, and subsequently, another passenger falling ill.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series M, Part IV, titled "Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights," airlines must assist affected passengers. In case of cancellation, airlines must either provide an alternate flight or compensation along with a full ticket refund.

Additionally, meals and refreshments must be provided to passengers who have already reported at the airport while waiting for the alternate flight. In the event of delays, airlines are required to offer meals and refreshments, an alternate flight or full ticket refund, or hotel accommodation (including transfers) based on the total delay duration.

However, airlines are not obliged to compensate if the cancellation or delay is caused by a force majeure event, which refers to extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline's control.