Air India Delhi-SFO flight faces 30-hour ordeal due to technical glitches and payload issues

More than 200 passengers aboard Air India's San Francisco-bound flight experienced a 30-hour ordeal, plagued by technical glitches, payload issues, and a non-functional air conditioning system.

The flight, initially scheduled to depart at 3:30 PM on Thursday, was first delayed by nearly six hours. Rescheduled for Friday, the departure time shifted multiple times, eventually pushing back to 5:45 PM before the plane returned to the bay due to further complications, according to informed sources.

Passengers, including the elderly and children, endured significant discomfort. One source indicated that the delay was initially attributed to a technical glitch, later compounded by payload issues. An announcement informed passengers that due to temperature issues, the flight could not take off, and the air conditioning was turned off, exacerbating the passengers' distress.

There has been no official statement from Air India regarding the delay. However, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to Air India earlier in the day for multiple flight delays and failing to care for passengers. The notice specifically mentioned delays of the Delhi-San Francisco flight on May 30 and another flight from Mumbai to San Francisco on May 24.

Passenger Shilpa Jain recounted to PTI that some passengers fainted on Thursday due to the non-functional air conditioning system and prolonged wait on the aerobridge. According to Jain, the aircraft was changed due to a technical issue, but the replacement plane also had a malfunctioning air conditioning system, causing significant discomfort, particularly for the elderly and children. The flight was rescheduled late Thursday night and then further delayed to Friday afternoon.

An Air India official explained that the initial delay was due to a technical issue that required engineering checks. The delay led to the crew exceeding their Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL), and if the flight had taken off, it would have arrived in San Francisco during hours when night landing is restricted.

Despite claims by passengers like Jain that the airline did not offer rescheduling or cancellation options, an Air India representative asserted that passengers were given the options of a full refund, complimentary rescheduling, and hotel accommodation.

This incident marks the second major delay for Air India's San Francisco flights within a week. On May 24, a Mumbai-San Francisco flight experienced similar delays, eventually departing over 24 hours late due to multiple technical issues.

Passengers took to social media to express their frustration. Journalist Shweta Punj shared her experience on X, describing the delay as "inhuman" and posting a photo of passengers sitting on the floor at Delhi airport.