3 weeks ago
SpiceJet Delhi-Pune flight cancelled after AC failure leaves passengers suffocating
A plane was getting ready to fly from Delhi to Pune, but the air conditioning stopped working while it was still on the ground.
Inside the plane got very hot and stuffy, and about 150 passengers started sweating a lot, with blowers that only pushed hot air.
There were pregnant women, children, and older people on the plane, and they felt the worst.
A pregnant woman felt like she might pass out, and children started crying.
The passengers shouted that the plane should not take off, so the pilots stopped the take-off.
Everyone got off the plane, and a repair team came to check it.
The flight was cancelled after the team found a technical problem.
The passengers had to wait for many hours with no food or drink coupons.
A new plane finally took off at about 5 o'clock in the morning and landed in Pune around 7:30.
The airline said sorry for the trouble it caused, though in one statement it said the air conditioning was working and blamed hot weather in Delhi.
SpiceJet flight SG-105 from Delhi to Pune was cancelled on August 11, 2026, after the aircraft's air conditioning failed during taxi, leaving about 150 passengers sweltering in the cabin.
Passengers forced the takeoff to be aborted after a pregnant woman felt unconscious and children began crying, with the cabin described as a 'gas chamber'.
Passengers were deboarded and stranded for over six hours, with no food coupons or refreshments arranged, before a replacement flight left around 5 am Wednesday.
A passenger alleged medical help for the pregnant woman was delayed, saying an ambulance took over 20 minutes to arrive after deboarding.
SpiceJet acknowledged the technical issue and arranged an alternate aircraft, though one company statement said the AC remained operational; an August 5 Pune-Delhi flight also drew complaints over missing food service and alleged DGCA guideline violations.
- Who
- About 150 passengers on SpiceJet flight SG-105, including flyer Leshpal Javalge of Sarhad NGO, along with cabin crew, pilots and airline staff
- What
- The aircraft's air-conditioning system failed during taxi, making the cabin suffocating; passengers protested, forcing the takeoff to be aborted and the flight to be cancelled
- Where
- Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi, on a flight bound for Pune
- When
- Night of Tuesday, August 11, 2026; a replacement flight reached Pune on the morning of Wednesday, August 12, 2026
- Why
- The broken air conditioning made the cabin unbearably hot, and passengers protested over safety and health concerns, including a pregnant woman who nearly fainted
Passengers
SpiceJet
Air conditioning and cause
Passengers
Passengers said the AC failed, the cabin became suffocating, and switching on the blowers blew hot air, turning the cabin into a 'gas chamber'.
SpiceJet
One SpiceJet statement acknowledged a last-minute technical issue, but another said the air conditioning remained operational throughout and discomfort was due to prevailing weather conditions in Delhi.
Takeoff and crew response
Passengers
Passengers alleged the captain insisted on taking off while the cabin was suffocating and crew asked them to maintain decorum; one flyer said the ordeal evoked the Baramati air tragedy that killed NCP leader Ajit Pawar, and passengers had to protest to get the takeoff cancelled.
SpiceJet
SpiceJet said the flight encountered a technical issue that delayed takeoff, arranged an alternate aircraft, and said it deeply regretted the inconvenience caused.
Passenger care and medical help
Passengers
Passengers said no food coupons or refreshments were arranged during the hours-long delay, that the ambulance for the pregnant woman took over 20 minutes to arrive after deboarding, and that some crew members were rude when questioned.
SpiceJet
SpiceJet's statements apologised for the inconvenience and noted an alternate aircraft was arranged, but did not directly address allegations about refreshments, the medical delay, or crew conduct.
Key facts
- Airline
- SpiceJet
- Flight number
- SG-105
- Route
- Delhi to Pune
- Scheduled departure
- 9:45 pm, delayed to 10:30 pm (one report cited 9:30 pm)
- Passengers on board
- Approximately 150 (one report said more than 100)
- Incident date
- August 11, 2026
- Cause
- Air-conditioning malfunction; a separate SpiceJet statement claimed the AC remained operational
- Replacement arrival
- Departed 5 am and landed in Pune around 7:30 am on August 12, 2026
Quotes
Leshpal Javalge
Passenger and national sports coordinator at Sarhad NGO
““Following boarding, it suddenly started suffocating due to the air conditioning system’s malfunction. We were waiting for some time as the aircraft was taxiing towards the runway and were expecting that the AC would start soon, but it didn’t.””
indianexpress.com
“We felt suffocated, but thought the AC will start soon, and the temperature will settle down. We were drenched in sweat. There were 150 passengers on the flight and no AC or ventilation.”
NDTV
SpiceJet airline spokesperson
SpiceJet airline spokesperson
“"On 11 August, SpiceJet flight SG 105, scheduled to operate from Delhi to Pune, encountered a last‑minute technical issue. An alternate aircraft was arranged, and the flight subsequently operated to Pune. SpiceJet deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers."”
indianexpress.com
livemint.com
NDTV
“The air conditioning remained operational throughout. Due to prevailing weather conditions in Delhi, some passengers may have experienced discomfort.”
deccanchronicle.com
Passenger
An unnamed passenger on the flight
“"By then, many passengers were angry as they were sweating profusely and feeling unwell. There were some expectant mothers on board, and a few passengers on the verge of collapsing."”
livemint.com
Sources
Delhi-Pune SpiceJet flight cancelled as AC snag leaves flyers ‘suffocating’
SpiceJet Delhi-Pune flight: Over 100 passengers refuse to fly after AC failure leaves cabin hot
No AC Turns SpiceJet Delhi-Pune Flight Into "Gas Chamber", Passengers Protest
SpiceJet Passengers Face Heat, Discomfort On Delhi-Pune Flight
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