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Passengers on Air India’s flight AI 1183 to San Francisco finally took off from Delhi airport at around 9:55 pm on Friday, after enduring a delay of over 30 hours. The flight, originally scheduled for 3:30 pm on Thursday, faced multiple reschedules due to a series of technical issues, including a non-functional air conditioning system and payload problems.
The delay affected more than 200 passengers, including elderly individuals and children. After several rescheduling attempts, the flight was initially set for 11 am on Friday, later pushed to 3 pm, and eventually took off at 9:55 pm. Despite the long wait, 21 passengers chose to deboard the flight on Friday night.
Air India officials had to secure special permission for a night landing in San Francisco due to local restrictions. The Delhi-San Francisco flight duration is approximately 16 hours, meaning the plane would arrive in the American city at night.
The initial delay on Thursday was caused by a technical glitch, with further complications arising from payload issues. The aircraft’s air conditioning system was non-functional, adding to the discomfort of passengers, some of whom fainted while waiting in the aerobridge for nearly an hour before being allowed back into the airport.
An Air India official stated that engineering checks were conducted due to the technical issue, and the flight crew had exceeded the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL), necessitating further delays. Additionally, if the flight had taken off as initially planned, it would have faced night landing restrictions in San Francisco.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show cause notice to Air India for the delays and inadequate passenger care. The notice highlighted the delays of two international flights: AI 183 from Delhi to San Francisco on May 30 and AI 179 from Mumbai to San Francisco on May 24.
This incident marks the second time in one week that Air India passengers on a San Francisco-bound flight have experienced significant delays. On Thursday, several passengers took to social media to express their frustration, with journalist Shweta Punj highlighting the lack of air conditioning and the inhumane conditions on board.
Air India’s regular flight from Delhi to San Francisco departed at around 7 pm on Friday. Meanwhile, the delayed Mumbai to San Francisco flight, originally scheduled for May 24 at 4 pm, finally took off at 5:30 pm on May 25 due to similar technical issues.
Sources By Agencies
