30 April,2026 09:18 PM IST | Mumbai | Madhulika Ram Kavattur
Frustrated travellers gather at the SpiceJet counter at Mumbai Airport’s Terminal 1. Pic/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
Passengers of SpiceJet created a ruckus outside Terminal 1 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Thursday after being stranded for hours due to multiple flight delays and cancellations.
Travellers claimed they were stuck for nearly nine hours inside the airport and an additional eight hours outside the terminal, leading to frustration that escalated into shouting and banging on airline counters.
The disruption began on the evening of April 28, when the airline reported several domestic and international delays, citing weather-related issues. In a statement, a spokesperson said, "Three departures - Mumbai to Delhi (SG631), Gorakhpur (SG553) and Bengaluru (SG669) - were cancelled on April 29 due to operational reasons, including aircraft grounding and adverse weather at Bagdogra, which led to flight duty time limitations (FDTL) for crew."
The airline added that flights from Mumbai to Ahmedabad were also delayed due to adverse weather at previous stations, including Varanasi and Bagdogra. It said additional flights were being operated on Thursday to accommodate affected passengers.
However, the ripple effect was felt at Terminal 1, where several passengers arriving on international flights missed onward connections.
Mid-Day reached out to the airline for clarity on the multiple cancellations across routes, but no response was received till press time.
Pappu Kumar Gupta. Pic/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
Pappu Kumar Gupta, who arrived from Dubai with around 30 others on a flight delayed by five hours, said, "Our flight was scheduled to depart at 11.30 pm on Wednesday, but took off around 4.30 am on Thursday. After landing, we were told no flights were available to Patna till the next day. We have not been given accommodation, water or food."
Rasik Wani. Pic/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
Another passenger, Rasik Wani, said his wedding was on Thursday night in Srinagar, and he was getting late to his own wedding as the alternative flight that the airline gave him was a flight leaving at 9 am on Friday. "I explained my situation, but the staff are helpless. Standing here and arguing is only getting more frustrating," he said.
Pavan Kumar Sharma. Pic/Madhulika Ram Kavattur
Pavan Kumar Sharma, who was seen sitting on a luggage trolley, said he lost his father on Thursday morning. "I spent Rs 40,000 on last-minute tickets after hearing his condition had worsened. I requested any flight closer to Patna so I could travel onward by road, but was told nothing is available," he said.
Sharma added that he had also missed his mother's funeral two months ago due to the travel constraints during the war in West Asia. "Now I'm again stuck, unable to reach my father's funeral. Meanwhile, the airline is adding new flights and taking fresh bookings. Nothing has been arranged for us," he said.
