Pune-Dubai Flight Delayed Over Eight Hours Due to Technical Issue

Over 100 passengers of SpiceJet’s Pune-Dubai flight faced inconvenience on Wednesday night as the flight was delayed by over eight hours due to a technical snag in the aircraft. The flight, scheduled to depart from Pune at 8.50 pm and land in Dubai at 10.55 pm on Wednesday, eventually departed around 5 am on Thursday, according to a source at the airport.

In an official statement, SpiceJet’s spokesperson stated, “SpiceJet flight SG 51, scheduled to operate from Pune to Dubai on April 10, was delayed due to a technical issue, which necessitated a parts change. Two parts were transported to Pune from two different stations. Passengers were served refreshments during their time at the airport. SpiceJet regrets the discomfort caused.”

Despite the airline’s efforts to mitigate the inconvenience, passengers expressed frustration over the significant delay. One passenger, speaking anonymously, highlighted the impact on their vacation plans and financial losses incurred due to the delay. There were also concerns raised about the flight’s frequent delays and the lack of accountability.

Sudhir Mehta, a city-based businessman, shared his observation of unhappy passengers and voiced concerns about the lengthy delay. 

SpiceJet's Pune to Dubai flight departed today after a 9-hour delay. It's infuriating that this isn't an isolated incident, and @flyspicejet seems to evade accountability for these persistently absurd delays.
This is yet another slap in the face for #Pune and Punekars—a critical…

— Dr. Sudhir Mehta (@sudhirmehtapune) April 11, 2024

Some passengers, mainly traveling for business, opted to cancel their tickets and travel to Dubai via Mumbai instead.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the situation, a businessman stated that he now chooses to depart from Mumbai instead of Pune for flights to Dubai. He urged airport authorities to engage with the airline to address the issue and explore options for additional flight services to Dubai from Pune.

The incident highlights the challenges faced by passengers when flights are delayed unexpectedly and underscores the need for improved communication and accountability from airlines to mitigate such inconveniences.