Air India flight delayed by over 7 hours; angry passenger slaps staff member, incident caught on video
Air India flight delayed by over 7 hours; angry passenger slaps staff member, incident caught on video
Air India passengers frustrated by overnight delay at Delhi airport; one staff member assaulted amid chaos
A routine Air India flight from Delhi to Mumbai turned into a tense ordeal after a delay of over seven hours left passengers stranded overnight, sparking heated confrontations and even violence at the airport.
Originally scheduled to depart at 11 PM, the flight eventually took off at 6:30 AM the following morning. Passengers reported poor communication and a lack of updates from airline staff during the long wait. The situation escalated when boarding began around 12:50 AM, only to be halted midway with a sudden announcement that the flight would be further delayed until morning. The boarding gate was then locked, leaving many confused and divided between two sides of the terminal.
Tempers flared as exhaustion set in, and one passenger physically assaulted an Air India ground staff member. While many on social media condemned the violence, others voiced anger at the airline for failing to manage the delay responsibly.
The passenger who assaulted the staff member said, “My father’s health is not good (Mere baap ki tabiyat khrab hai). Please understand our problems. Understand everyone’s problem.”
Passengers alleged that a staff member laughed during the chaos and claimed the real reason, a shortage of pilots was only revealed after tempers boiled over. Refund and compensation messages were reportedly sent to some passengers around 3 AM.
The incident has reignited conversations about customer service in Indian aviation, with many users expressing frustration at limited choices and the perceived lack of accountability among major airlines.
As of now, Air India has not released a detailed explanation for the delay. The flight eventually landed in Mumbai at 8:30 AM, bringing a stressful night to a close for weary travellers.
