Passengers Halt Takeoff of Delhi to Pune SpiceJet Flight After AC Failure Leaves Cabin Sweltering for 40 Minutes Over 100 passengers aboard a Delhi to Pune SpiceJet flight SG-105 refused to fly after an AC malfunction left the cabin sweltering for 40 minutes. The aircraft was returned to the bay, where several unwell travelers required wheelchair assistance. An evening flight from Delhi to Pune descended into chaos on August 11, 2026, when an air conditioning failure trapped passengers inside a stifling cabin for over 40 minutes on the tarmac. Flight SG-105, operated by SpiceJet, experienced severe temperature spikes and poor ventilation prior to takeoff, prompting more than 100 passengers to revolt and refuse to proceed with the trip. As conditions worsened inside the stationary aircraft, several travelers suffered from acute heat exhaustion, with multiple women experiencing dizziness that ultimately required wheelchair assistance upon deboarding. The persistent passenger protests forced the flight crew to abort takeoff procedures and return the aircraft to the parking bay, where passengers were finally permitted to leave the aircraft. Schedule Disruptions and Rapidly Deteriorating Cabin Environment The ordeal began on Tuesday night at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Flight SG-105 was originally scheduled to depart for Pune at approximately 9:30 PM. However, operational adjustments pushed the scheduled departure back to around 11:30 PM. Passengers boarded the aircraft expecting a routine late-night travel experience, but they immediately noticed an unusually high temperature inside the cabin upon entering the aircraft. Despite the lack of effective air circulation, passengers initially remained seated under the assumption that the climate control system would regain full cooling capability once the aircraft engine startup sequence was completed and taxiing commenced. Standard aviation practices often rely on main engine power or auxiliary power units to drive maximum cabin air flow. Consequently, travelers waited patiently as the plane pushed back and began maneuvering along the taxiway. Extended Taxiing Operations and Rising Physical Distress As the aircraft continued to taxi across the airport runways for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, the environmental conditions inside the enclosed space failed to improve. Instead, the lack of functional air conditioning caused heat and humidity levels inside the cabin to rise to unbearable levels. Fresh airflow was nonexistent, creating an oppressive atmosphere that quickly led to widespread physical discomfort. Inside the crowded aircraft, travelers were drenched in sweat as the interior temperature continued to climb. The passenger manifest included vulnerable individuals, including pregnant women, who faced heightened physical risk under such severe thermal stress. Attempts by passengers to seek clarification or immediate relief from the cabin crew yielded little result, as crew members repeatedly instructed travelers to remain in their seats and wait for takeoff, assuring them that airflow would normalize once airborne. Cabin Revolt and Demands for Immediate Deplaning After nearly three quarters of an hour of continuous taxiing with no relief in sight, panic and frustration escalated rapidly. Recognizing that attempting a full flight to Pune under such severe ventilation failure posed significant health and safety hazards, passengers decided to take collective action. More than 100 travelers unbuckled their seatbelts, stood up in the aisles, and vocally declared their refusal to fly in the compromised aircraft. The atmosphere inside the cabin grew increasingly tense as passengers confronted the flight crew, demanding that the pilot immediately halt all takeoff preparations. Fearing severe suffocation, several passengers insisted that the cabin doors be opened without further delay to allow fresh air into the plane. The collective outcry made it impossible for the flight crew to maintain order or proceed with standard pre-flight safety procedures, leaving the cockpit crew with no option but to abandon the departure sequence. Deboarding, Tarmac Demonstrations, and Medical Emergencies Faced with overwhelming passenger resistance, the flight commander turned the aircraft around and guided it back from the active taxiway to an airport parking bay. Upon coming to a complete stop, the crew opened the main aircraft doors, allowing the distressed passengers to exit onto the tarmac and return to the airport terminal building. However, the emotional toll of the prolonged confinement resulted in spontaneous demonstrations on the tarmac, where angry travelers voiced their dissatisfaction with the airline's operational management and chanted slogans calling for SpiceJet to shut down its operations. The prolonged exposure to extreme heat and lack of oxygen led to formal medical emergencies on the ground. Multiple female passengers suffered from severe dizziness, dehydration, and nausea as a direct consequence of the stifling cabin environment. Terminal staff and medical assistance teams had to deploy wheelchairs to transport the affected passengers from the aircraft arrival area to medical evaluation zones within the airport building. Alternative Flight Deployment and Airline's Formal Response Following the deboarding of Flight SG-105, SpiceJet initiated emergency operational recovery protocols to transport the stranded passengers to their final destination. The airline arranged a replacement aircraft to execute the rescheduled route from Delhi to Pune. The substitute flight finally departed from Delhi early Wednesday morning at approximately 5:30 AM, landing safely in Pune around 7:00 AM, several hours past the original scheduled arrival time. In an official statement addressing the incident, SpiceJet acknowledged the disruption and confirmed that a technical snag had emerged in the primary aircraft right before takeoff. The carrier expressed sincere regret for the inconvenience and physical discomfort experienced by the passengers onboard Flight SG-105. Airline representatives emphasized that passenger safety remained their primary concern and noted that swift measures were taken to deploy an alternate aircraft once the technical malfunction was confirmed by ground engineers. Questions Surrounding Aviation Protocols and Ground Handling Safety While mechanical defects in commercial aircraft can occur unpredictably, this incident has ignited serious discussion regarding ground handling protocols and passenger welfare standards during extended tarmac delays. Industry observers and passenger rights advocates are questioning why the aircraft was permitted to taxi for over 40 minutes when environmental control systems were clearly malfunctioning in ambient high temperatures. The incident highlights crucial safety concerns regarding how long passengers should be kept inside an enclosed aircraft when basic environmental support systems fail. Operating a passenger aircraft without adequate cooling not only severely impacts passenger comfort but also poses genuine medical risks, particularly during peak summer months or humid conditions. The comprehensive evaluation of passenger accounts alongside the airline's official engineering reports will be critical in determining whether standard operating procedures were properly followed during the ground delay in Delhi. What this means for you Across India: Airline passengers should remain aware of safety protocols and passenger rights when facing extended ground delays or ventilation failures. In Delhi & Pune: Travelers flying on this route should immediately report severe cabin discomfort to flight crew before the aircraft begins taxiing. Questions & Answers 1. When did the SpiceJet flight AC failure incident take place? The incident occurred on the night of August 11, 2026, on SpiceJet flight SG-105 operating from Delhi to Pune. 2. How long were passengers kept inside the aircraft during taxiing without AC? Passengers were inside the aircraft while it taxied on the runway for approximately 40 to 45 minutes without functional air conditioning. 3. Why did passengers demand to stop the takeoff? Severe heat, lack of ventilation, and rising humidity caused suffocation and physical distress, prompting over 100 passengers to refuse to fly. 4. How did SpiceJet respond to the incident? SpiceJet brought the plane back to the parking bay, deboarded the passengers, expressed regret over the technical snag, and arranged an alternative flight that reached Pune early Wednesday morning. https://trendkia.com/en/national/delhi-se-pune-ja-rahi-spicejet-urana-men-ac-kharabi-para-yatriyon-ka-ugra-pradarshana-40-minata-taiksi-ke-bada-ruka-teka-pha-15899 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.