What began as a normal Delhi to Pune journey for passengers aboard Air India Express (AIX) flight IX 1176 last week, slowly turned into a nightmare as they were left waiting for over 10 hours in cramped seats, denied basic facilities and subjected to what they called “inhumane” treatment by the airline crew before finally taking off. The flight, scheduled to depart at 9.40 pm on January 3, took off at 8.10 am the following day. During the extended delay, passengers were kept onboard without food, water, or proper communication. A week has passed since and passengers continue to demand a written apology from the pilot and crew members of the flight for their ordeal. “My hands and feet were swollen so badly. I was not able to walk. The moment I landed, I rushed to the Command Hospital in Pune to take an injection. I'm on medication though,” said Hema Chhimwal, an autoimmune disease patient from Pune who was traveling with her daughter. Chhimwal, who was traveling from Jammu to Pune via Delhi, called her experience an “unforgettable zombie journey” and said, “You can imagine sitting, hanging your legs down all the time.” She added that after an entire night of sitting like that, she joined the queue of passengers in the hope of boarding an alternative aircraft. “Abruptly, we were asked to walk again to the security checkpoint, take off our jackets, shoes, and everything, only to return to the same aircraft,” she said. “It was a quarter to six when we were deboarded and underwent security checks again. That wasn’t enough— we still didn’t fly after that,” said Hema’s daughter Gauri Shashikant, who was unwell for the next four days due to exhaustion. Geeta Arora, a banker from Delhi who was traveling to Pune for a meeting at her office headquarters, complained that as soon as she reached, she had to head to the meeting and join it without a break. “The aircraft was literally on the runway the whole night and when we asked about food, the crew member was clueless…citing a certain timeline to distribute food. After some time, when an old woman shouted, they served biryani in the morning at around 4,” Arora said. Improper behaviour from pilot, crew members Chhimwal recalled the chaos on the aircraft, with children crying and aged passengers coughing. She said that after around four hours onboard, an elderly passenger who protested the lack of facilities was reprimanded by the crew. “He was coughing and asked for help, but the air hostess shouted at him. They refused to offer anything, citing company policies,” she said. Shashikant added that she could not bear to see her mother’s condition, knowing how serious it was. “The pilot was too rude. He threatened us with blacklisting and security action. We understand their pressure, but they come from a hospitality background. The treatment was inhumane,” she said. Chhimwal said that after much confrontation, a crew member approached the pilot, who shouted from the cockpit: “Now this flight is not going to go ahead. We are going to call security.” “How can they bully us in the name of security personnel? What were the crew members fighting with us for? Just because they have a weapon called ‘security’?” she asked. Showing her frustration, Arora told the crew that since they belonged to the service sector, they should have humanity. “The pilot and the other crew members were rude. It was surprising that the pilot was yelling at the public from the cockpit. He didn't have the courtesy to show up and say that ‘yes they are with us’…nothing,” she added. Shashikant also pointed out the unhygienic condition of the lavatory, saying it was “not meant for such a long duration.” She added, “I had to reach my college by 9 in the morning to attend important lectures. I missed them, and was on bed rest for the next four days.” The three women said they were not demanding compensation for their mental and physical exhaustion but wanted a written apology and an investigation into the airline’s handling of delays and treatment of passengers. When contacted, an Air India Express spokesperson clarified that the situation was caused entirely by poor weather conditions and stated that a meeting would be conducted and a follow-up carried out in the wake of the allegations. Low visibility in Delhi caused by adverse weather conditions has resulted in the cancellation or delay of several flights for various airlines travelling to and from the national capital in recent days.
