More than 100 passengers aboard SpiceJet flight SG-105 from Delhi to Pune reportedly refused to let the aircraft take off after spending over an hour in a hot and poorly ventilated cabin on Tuesday night, August 11.
Passengers alleged that the aircraft’s air-conditioning was not functioning properly and that conditions remained uncomfortable even after the plane began taxiing. They demanded that the aircraft return to the bay, where they were eventually allowed to disembark and continued their protest.
Some passengers reportedly became dizzy and unwell, with some women being taken towards the terminal in wheelchairs. According to The Times of India, passengers alleged that the crew initially asked them to remain seated and later raised concerns about being threatened with police intervention, although the latter claim has not been independently verified.
A replacement flight reportedly departed Delhi around 5.30 am on Wednesday and reached Pune at about 7 am. SpiceJet’s response to the allegations was still awaited at the time of the latest report, and no independent statement from the airline, Delhi Airport authorities or the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had been reported.
Heat Inside The Cabin
The trouble reportedly began after passengers boarded the Delhi-Pune service, which was expected to depart at around 9.30 pm but was delayed until approximately 11.30 pm, according to passengers quoted by TOI. Once inside the aircraft, travellers allegedly found the cabin unusually hot and humid, with little effective cooling.
One passenger said the air-conditioning remained inadequate even around 40-45 minutes after boarding and continued to be uncomfortable after the aircraft began taxiing. Passengers reportedly initially waited in the hope that the cooling would improve once the aircraft started moving, but alleged that the situation did not change.
As the heat intensified, several travellers began sweating heavily and some reportedly felt unwell. Passengers then objected to the aircraft taking off and demanded that the departure be stopped and the doors opened. The aircraft was subsequently brought back to the bay.
The episode is particularly significant because the passengers were not merely objecting to a delay; they were raising concerns about being kept inside an aircraft in conditions they considered physically intolerable. TOI reported that some female passengers became dizzy and were taken towards the terminal in wheelchairs.
A Pattern Of Passenger Complaints
The latest incident comes amid several recent complaints involving SpiceJet’s Delhi-Pune operations. In June, more than 200 passengers on two SpiceJet flights reported lengthy delays, confusion and discomfort. Passengers on flight SG-939 from Delhi to Pune said they waited for hours before boarding and then remained inside the aircraft for more than an hour without adequate air-conditioning before being deboarded.
More recently, around 150 passengers on another Delhi-Pune service were reportedly delayed for several hours, with passengers alleging that they spent time inside an overheated aircraft before the flight was eventually cancelled and they reached Pune the following day.
Social-media posts have also described similar experiences. In one Reddit post from April, a passenger claimed that travellers on SG-105 were stuck inside the aircraft for hours with little or no ventilation or air-conditioning, while another post in June described children struggling with the heat.
These accounts are individual claims and have not been independently verified, but they indicate that concerns over cabin cooling and prolonged delays have repeatedly surfaced among passengers using the route.
At present, however, there is no official finding establishing that the latest incident was caused by a confirmed technical defect. SpiceJet’s response was awaited, and neither DGCA nor airport authorities had publicly attributed responsibility for the incident in the latest available reporting.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Passengers have every right to expect basic dignity, clear communication and reasonable care when they board a flight. Technical problems can happen in aviation, and safety must always take priority over an airline’s schedule. What matters equally is how an airline responds when something goes wrong: whether passengers are kept informed, whether their concerns are heard and whether appropriate arrangements are made when people are left waiting in uncomfortable conditions.
At the same time, passenger protests must remain peaceful and should not compromise aviation safety or disrupt airport operations beyond what is necessary to raise a legitimate grievance. The latest incident should therefore not become a confrontation between passengers and airline staff; it should become an opportunity for transparent answers.
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