Air India passengers endure six-hour ordeal in overheated cabin

More than 200 passengers on an Air India flight to Singapore faced a gruelling wait at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after a technical fault left them stranded inside an overheated aircraft late on Wednesday night, 10 September.

Flight AI2380, operated by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, was scheduled to depart around 11 pm. However, passengers remained seated inside the plane for nearly two hours as its air conditioning and electrical systems failed, leaving the cabin stiflingly hot.

With no explanation initially offered, the airline eventually asked passengers to disembark and return to the terminal.

Social media posts from those on board showed travellers fanning themselves with newspapers and magazines in an effort to cope with the rising temperature.

Many described growing irritation and discomfort as the delay stretched on.

Air India said refreshments and meals were provided at the terminal while staff worked to resolve the issue. After almost six hours, the carrier switched aircraft and the flight finally departed at 5.36 am on Thursday.

The airline issued an apology for the disruption and said ground staff remained available to assist passengers throughout. It later confirmed that the cooling failure was the reason for the extended delay.

The incident comes against the backdrop of previous passenger complaints over air conditioning failures on Air India flights, raising concerns about operational preparedness and communication.

The episode underscores the strain such technical lapses place on passenger experience, particularly on long-haul international services.