New Delhi, Sep 11: More than 200 passengers on Air India’s Singapore bound flight AI2380 faced a harrowing ordeal at Delhi airport after being deboarded due to a cabin cooling and power supply issue. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, scheduled to depart at 11 pm on Wednesday, finally took off at 5:36 am on Thursday following a six-hour delay and a change of aircraft.
According to passengers, they were made to sit inside the aircraft for nearly two hours as the air-conditioning failed, forcing many to fan themselves with newspapers and magazines. They were later escorted back to the terminal without a clear explanation at the time.
In a statement, Air India confirmed that the delay was caused by a cabin cooling issue prior to departure. “Passengers were regularly kept informed of the delay, and our ground colleagues extended full support, including refreshments and meals. The flight departed after a change of aircraft. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused,” the airline said.
The incident sparked criticism on social media, with videos showing passengers visibly uncomfortable due to the lack of cooling inside the plane.