Dubai — Furious passengers aboard Air India Express flight IX196 from Dubai to Jaipur were left stranded for over five hours without air-conditioning, sparking social media outrage and calls for a boycott of the airline.
Passengers, including children and elderly individuals, shared videos showing severe discomfort inside the stationary aircraft. Viral footage from Instagram user Aarzo Sethi showed passengers fanning themselves with safety cards and pressing call buttons, with no communication from the crew.
The flight, originally scheduled for 7:25 PM on June 13, finally departed at 12:45 AM due to a technical snag. Passengers also complained of insufficient water, worsening conditions for elderly travelers.
The backlash comes amid rising criticism of Air India’s service standards, especially after the deadly AI-171 crash and ongoing fleet safety checks. The airline has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
