Dubai-bound SpiceJet passengers protest after delays stretch beyond 24 hours

Around 200 passengers protested after two Dubai-bound SpiceJet flights were delayed

Last updated: September 15, 2026 | 13:48

2 MIN READ

SpiceJet assures safety after minor mid-air incident

New Delhi: Around 200 passengers protested at Delhi airport after two SpiceJet flights to Dubai were delayed for more than 24 hours, leaving travellers waiting without clear departure times.

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The disruption affected flights SG 5111 and SG 5105, both scheduled to operate from Delhi to Dubai.

Flight SG 5111 was due to depart at 7.45am on Monday and was delayed several times, first to Monday evening and later to 9am on Tuesday. It had still not departed at the time of reporting.

Flight tracking platform Flightradar24 listed the service as cancelled.

SG 5105 was scheduled to leave Delhi at 6.45pm on Monday and was later rescheduled to 12.30pm on Tuesday, but also remained grounded at the time of reporting.

Passengers protest at Terminal 3

The protests began late Monday evening at Delhi airport’s Terminal 3 and continued into Tuesday, with passengers demanding information about when they would be able to travel.

Passengers said they had received no fresh updates from the airline and were left without clarity over departure times, food or accommodation.

Videos circulating on social media showed stranded travellers sitting on the terminal floor while waiting for information.

Media reports said SpiceJet staff were not present to address passenger concerns for a considerable period. Delhi airport staff later provided food and water and arranged a rest area for affected travellers.

SpiceJet cites grounded aircraft

SpiceJet said the disruption followed the grounding of an aircraft and that alternate arrangements were being made.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said: “SpiceJet flights SG 5111 and SG 5105, operating from Delhi to Dubai, have been delayed due to operational reasons following the grounding of an aircraft. Alternate flights are being arranged to accommodate the affected passengers, and the airline is making every effort to minimise the inconvenience caused.”

Airport officials have also taken up the matter with SpiceJet executives, according to media reports.

- With inputs from agencies.

Nivetha Dayanand

Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series. Her reporting has taken her from breaking spot news to long-form features and high-profile interviews. Nivetha has interviewed Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed Al Saud, Indian ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and N. Chandrababu Naidu, IMF’s Jihad Azour, and a long list of CEOs, regulators, and founders who are reshaping the region’s economy. An Erasmus Mundus journalism alum, Nivetha has shared classrooms and newsrooms with journalists from more than 40 countries, which probably explains her weakness for data, context, and a good follow-up question. When she is away from her keyboard (AFK), you are most likely to find her at the gym with an Eminem playlist, bingeing One Piece, or exploring games on her PS5.

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