Two SpiceJet flights from Delhi to Dubai were hit by prolonged delays on September 15, with passengers reportedly waiting at the airport for more than 24 hours as departure timings were repeatedly changed.
Flights SG 5111 and SG 5105 were affected, with passengers eventually staging a sit-in inside Delhi airport’s terminal, demanding clarity from the airline over when they would fly. SpiceJet attributed the disruption to “operational reasons” following the grounding of an aircraft and said it was arranging alternate flights for affected passengers.
The airline apologised for the inconvenience, while passengers expressed frustration over repeated schedule changes and uncertainty. The disruption comes days after more than 100 passengers on a Pune-Dubai SpiceJet flight were stranded for over 20 hours, and amid recent complaints over prolonged delays on the airline’s Dubai services.
Passengers Wait For Answers
The disruption centred on two Delhi-Dubai services, SG 5111 and SG 5105. SG 5111 was scheduled to depart Delhi on Monday morning, but its departure was repeatedly pushed back, with the revised timings extending into Tuesday.
Flight-tracking records show the service had been scheduled as a regular Delhi-Dubai operation, while historical tracking also records substantial delays on the sector. SG 5105, another Delhi-Dubai service, was also affected by repeated changes to its departure schedule.
As uncertainty continued, passengers gathered inside the terminal and staged a sit-in, seeking answers from airline representatives. Videos and passenger accounts circulating online showed travellers sitting on the airport floor while waiting for updates.
For many, the issue was not simply the length of the delay but the repeated changes that made it difficult to plan onward travel, accommodation, work commitments and other arrangements. SpiceJet said it was working to accommodate affected passengers on alternate flights and apologised for the disruption.
SpiceJet Cites Operational Issues
SpiceJet said the two flights were delayed because of “operational reasons following the grounding of an aircraft”. The airline said efforts were under way to minimise inconvenience and arrange alternate flights for affected passengers.
At the time of reporting, no more detailed public explanation had established whether the grounded aircraft was affected by a technical problem, crew availability, fleet constraints or another specific issue, so those possibilities should not be treated as confirmed.
The disruption is nevertheless significant because it comes amid a series of recent complaints involving SpiceJet’s Dubai-bound services. In Pune, more than 100 passengers were reportedly left waiting for over 20 hours after flight SG-51 was repeatedly rescheduled before passengers eventually boarded.
In Amritsar, SpiceJet’s Dubai service also faced delays of around 17–18 hours in late August, with passengers complaining about repeated changes and a lack of clear information. These incidents do not establish that the causes were identical, but they add context to the frustration surrounding the latest Delhi disruption.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
A flight delay can happen for legitimate operational or safety reasons, and passengers understand that aviation involves circumstances beyond an airline’s immediate control. But prolonged uncertainty is different from a straightforward delay. When departure times are repeatedly changed, passengers deserve timely, accurate and accessible information about what is happening, what their options are and when they can realistically expect to travel.
SpiceJet’s own passenger-rights policy says checked-in passengers are entitled to drinking water for delays of up to two hours, refreshments between two and four hours, and meals when a delay exceeds four hours. It also states that when the expected departure is delayed by more than 24 hours, hotel accommodation should be provided wherever necessary, subject to the applicable provisions.
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