‘Unbearably hot’: SpiceJet passengers suffer for hours after AC fails on Delhi-Pune flight

The passengers protested after the aircraft was moved towards the runway despite the problem, prompting the airline to return.

More than 100 passengers travelling from Delhi to Pune on a SpiceJet flight were left distressed for several hours after the aircraft developed an air-conditioning problem soon after boarding, with passengers alleging that the cabin became unbearably hot and humid.

The passengers protested after the aircraft was moved towards the runway despite the problem, prompting the airline to return. The replacement flight eventually took off around 5 am — nearly seven hours after the scheduled 9.55 pm departure.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night, and passengers later raised concerns over the airline’s handling of the technical problem and its communication with them.

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“On August 11, 2026, SpiceJet flight SG 105, scheduled to operate from Delhi to Pune, encountered a last-minute technical issue. An alternate aircraft was arranged, and the flight subsequently operated to Pune. SpiceJet deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said in an official statement.

Leshpal Javalge, a passenger who was travelling on the flight and was among those who protested at Delhi airport, said the trouble began after passengers boarded the aircraft at around 10.30 pm.

“The flight was scheduled for 9.55 pm, but we boarded at around 10.30 pm. Initially, we thought the AC would take some time to start, as sometimes happens after boarding. But nearly half an hour passed and the cabin became extremely hot. The aircraft was completely full and, with the doors closed, the heat and humidity became unbearable. Everyone was sweating heavily,” he said.

Javalge said the conditions were particularly difficult for children, elderly passengers and pregnant women.

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“They told us that they would start the AC and fix everything within two minutes. But when they finally switched it on, hot air started coming directly from the blowers. Instead of cooling the cabin, it became even hotter. It literally felt like a gas chamber inside the aircraft,” he said.

“We had to shout and tell them to switch off the blowers. At least if they stopped, the hot air would stop coming into the cabin. It was at that point that we realised something was technically wrong with the aircraft,” he added.

Despite the discomfort, the aircraft was subsequently moved towards the runway at around 11 pm, prompting passengers to raise stronger objections.

“The aircraft was taken towards the runway even though the problem had not been properly resolved. We asked them to change the flight. We were not prepared to take a risk with our lives,” Javalge said.

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Another passenger, who requested anonymity, said, “The biggest problem was that nobody was clearly telling us what had gone wrong. We were sitting inside an extremely hot aircraft with children and elderly people around us. When we questioned the staff, we did not get a satisfactory response. We had no confidence that the aircraft was fit to fly.”

The protest intensified as passengers collectively demanded that the aircraft be changed. Javalge said the airline eventually called its technical team to inspect the aircraft.

He also recalled the presence of a large number of CISF personnel during the protest.

“There were around 100 to 150 CISF personnel carrying weapons around us. Naturally, that made the situation even more tense,” he said.