Passengers protest after SpiceJet cancels Delhi-Darbhanga flight minutes before boarding
PTC Web Desk: Passengers of a SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Darbhanga indulged in a heated confrontation with airline officials after their flight was abruptly canceled just five minutes before boarding. The frustrated passengers, who were waiting at Delhi Airport's Terminal 3 for flight SG 495, shared videos of the protest, showing them raising slogans like "SpiceJet murdabad" in anger.
Some passengers on the Delhi-Darbhanga route claimed that such cancellations have become frequent over the past few months, with flights being cancelled just before boarding almost every other day. The growing frustration has led to several protests, but SpiceJet has yet to issue a statement addressing the complaints.
This incident follows the airline’s struggles, as last month, India's aviation regulator DGCA placed SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance after an audit revealed several operational deficiencies. Despite efforts to raise funds, SpiceJet has been facing challenges in fully restoring its operations, lagging behind competitors such as IndiGo and Tata-owned Air India in market share.
In a bid to improve its financial health, SpiceJet announced on September 10 that Carlyle Group’s aviation investment unit would write off $40.2 million of the airline's lease arrears and convert $30 million of debt into equity. This conversion, done at Rs 100 per share—56% higher than the stock’s closing price on September 10—would significantly increase Carlyle Aviation’s stake in the airline.
- With inputs from agencies
