Mumbai, – Passengers on Air India aircraft AI-179 headed for San Francisco experienced severe delays on Friday due to a technical issue and a passenger being ill. The flight, which was originally scheduled to depart from Mumbai International Airport at 4:00 p.m., will instead leave at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
The problems began when the crew discovered a technical problem soon before departure, resulting in an initial delay of more than three hours. Despite attempts to resolve the issue and reschedule the flight for 7:17 p.m., new issues emerged when a passenger became ill, necessitating a return to the ramp.
According to an Air India spokeswoman, “AI-179 from Mumbai to San Francisco, scheduled to depart at 1600 hrs today, was delayed due to a technical issue that arose just before departure.” Putting safety first, the aircraft was held back for engineering checks.”
The situation was exacerbated when some travelers decided to cancel their trip, necessitating the unloading of their luggage. This process caused the flight to be further delayed. The ultimate blow came when night landing limits at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) were implemented, which, combined with the crew’s flight duty limitations, made the travel impossible.
“The flight pushed back at 1917 hours but had to make a ramp return due to one of the passengers feeling ill. While the unwell guest was being deboarded with his bags, the night landing limits at SFO, as well as the crew flight duty limitations, took effect,” the representative continued.
In response to the lengthy delay, Air India has made arrangements to accommodate affected passengers. The airline provided overnight rooms, gratis rescheduling, and full refunds, as well as refreshments at the airport. “Guests were offered hotel accommodations, gratis rescheduling, complete refunds, and refreshments at the airport. The inconvenience caused to guests is much regretted,” the statement added.
Passengers vented their dissatisfaction on social media, emphasizing the misery of being detained inside the aircraft for several hours without air conditioning. One passenger said, “The flight was a real inconvenience. The service post de-planing was likewise extremely hectic. The flight lacked air conditioning, and we were confined inside for nearly five hours. The crew provided poor in-flight service. Three persons passed out from suffocation.”
Another passenger questioned the aircraft’s pre-flight check, asking, “What is occurring on flight AI179 (Mumbai to San Francisco)? The air conditioning is not working; the flight was due to begin at 4:00 p.m., but it is currently 7:09 p.m. There are elderly individuals… “Why wasn’t the aircraft checked before?”
As the flight prepares for its rescheduled departure at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Air India continues to manage the situation, ensuring that all passengers are properly cared for and reimbursed for their inconvenience.
