SpiceJet Cancels Flight 5 Minutes Before Boarding, Angry Passengers Stage Protest At Delhi Airport

Passengers of a SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Darbhanga were left frustrated when the airline cancelled their just five minutes before boarding. The passengers, who were waiting at Delhi airport's terminal 3, expressed their anger by shouting slogans against the airline.

Visuals shared by the passengers showed them chanting "SpiceJet murdabad, murdabad" with raised hands. They claimed that cancellations on this route have become frequent in recent months, leading to growing frustration among travellers.

Frequent Cancellations and Passenger Frustration

Some regular flyers on the Delhi-Darbhanga route alleged that SpiceJet has been cancelling flights almost every other day just before boarding. This pattern has caused significant inconvenience and anger among passengers.

The airline has not yet issued any statement regarding these frequent cancellations. Passengers are demanding an explanation and better management from SpiceJet to avoid such last-minute disruptions.

Social media reactions:

Reacting on the incident a passenger on social media said, Spice jet flight from Mumbai to Bihar Darbhanga delayed by 6 hours without any notice ground staff said: 'yeh roz ka problem hai kyu book karate ho'. The airlines has made customer service a joke.

Another user termed airline's service pathetic, adding that it is a normal day with Spicejet Airlines.

Regulatory Scrutiny and Financial Struggles

Last month, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) placed SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance after an audit revealed certain deficiencies. Despite multiple fund-raising efforts over the past year, SpiceJet has struggled to fully restore its operations.

The airline trails behind competitors like IndiGo and Tata-owned Air India in terms of market share. These operational challenges have further compounded passenger dissatisfaction.

Carlyle Group's Investment

On September 10, SpiceJet announced that Carlyle Group's commercial aviation investment unit would write off $40.2 million of the airline's lease arrears. Additionally, $30 million of arrears would be converted into equity at Rs 100 ($1.19) per share, a 56 per cent premium to its closing price on September 10.

This conversion is expected to significantly increase Carlyle Aviation's stake in SpiceJet. The move aims to provide some financial relief and stability to the struggling airline.

The ongoing issues with flight cancellations and operational deficiencies highlight the challenges faced by SpiceJet. Passengers are hopeful for improvements as the airline works through its financial and regulatory hurdles.