A major operational disruption unfolded at Jaipur International Airport on Tuesday as SpiceJet Flight SG-57 to Dubai was abruptly cancelled following an extensive 11-hour delay, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded without adequate support. The incident has sparked serious concerns regarding airline communication protocols and passenger welfare management during service interruptions.
The flight was originally scheduled for a 9:40 AM IST departure but underwent multiple rescheduling throughout the day before ultimately being canceled around 8:30 PM IST. This left travelers, including vulnerable groups such as elderly passengers, women, and children, in a state of uncertainty and discomfort. Numerous passengers reported spending the entire day within airport premises, with some forced to wait outside terminal buildings due to insufficient facilities.
Affected traveler Ankur expressed his frustration: ‘I have been here since morning. Had they provided timely information about the cancellation, I would have returned home instead of enduring this prolonged wait.’ The lack of transparent communication from airline representatives emerged as a primary complaint among stranded passengers, who also reported insufficient assistance during the extended delay period.
While unofficial sources cited operational and technical challenges as contributing factors, SpiceJet had not issued an official statement regarding the incident at the time of reporting. Flight tracking platforms including FlightRadar confirmed the eventual cancellation of the Dubai-bound service.
The incident occurs amid ongoing analysis of the India-UAE air corridor’s capacity challenges, with recent studies indicating potential service gaps affecting significant portions of passengers by 2035. This event raises pertinent questions about airline accountability and emergency response mechanisms in the rapidly expanding aviation market between the two nations.