Air India Express flights delays leave Chennai passengers stranded overnight

CHENNAI: Hundreds of passengers travelling on Air India Express flights from Chennai to Kolkata, Bengaluru and Pune faced long delays on Monday night, with some waiting at the airport for up to eight hours after their scheduled departure times.

Passengers complained that there were no clear announcements regarding the reasons for the delays, leading to confusion and frustration at the domestic terminal.

Kolkata flight delayed by eight hours

The worst affected was the Air India Express flight to Kolkata, which was scheduled to depart from Chennai at 7.40 pm. Around 148 passengers had checked in for the flight when an announcement was made that the departure would be delayed.

Passengers said no information was provided regarding the revised departure time or the reason for the delay. More than 30 passengers reportedly cancelled their travel plans and returned home.

The flight eventually departed at around 4 am on Tuesday with about 110 passengers on board, nearly eight hours behind schedule.

Bengaluru, Pune services also delayed

An Air India Express flight to Bengaluru, scheduled to depart at 9.25 pm, was also delayed. Around 120 passengers were waiting to board the service.

The flight finally left Chennai at around 11 pm, nearly one-and-a-half hours later than scheduled.

Similarly, the Air India Express service to Pune, scheduled for departure at 10.05 pm, faced a delay of nearly two hours. The flight, carrying 167 passengers, eventually departed at around midnight.

Passengers at the airport reportedly argued with airline staff over the delays and sought clarification regarding the reasons for the disruption.

Officials cite late arrival of incoming flights

Airport officials said the delays were caused by the late arrival of incoming aircraft that were scheduled to operate the services.

However, officials said they did not have details regarding the reasons behind the delays of the incoming flights.

Air India Express staff reportedly informed passengers that the delays were due to administrative reasons. The airline has not yet issued a detailed statement on the disruptions.