New Delhi, July 20
Passengers of SpiceJet flight SG447, scheduled to depart from Darbhanga to Delhi on Saturday morning, were left stranded after the flight was cancelled due to a combination of technical issues and sunset restrictions at the airport.
According to sources, "The flight, originally set to depart around 11:40 am, was initially delayed due to technical reasons with the aircraft. The aircraft was unable to operate as planned. SpiceJet then arranged a replacement aircraft to carry the passengers to Delhi."
However, Darbhanga airport, which operates as a defence airport, enforces a strict sunset restriction on civil flight movements, the sources said.
Although the replacement aircraft eventually reached Darbhanga, it arrived too late to obtain the necessary clearance for departure before sunset. As a result, the flight was unable to take off and was subsequently cancelled, the sources added.
SpiceJet has assured that alternative arrangements have been made for the stranded passengers to travel to Delhi on Sunday, the sources added.
Earlier this week, a SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Mumbai handed over two passengers to the CISF for their unruly behaviour after they attempted to approach the cockpit while the aircraft was taxiing forcefully.
According to a statement from a SpiceJet spokesperson, the incident occurred on flight SG 9282 prior to takeoff. Despite repeated warnings from the cabin crew, fellow passengers, and the Captain, the individuals refused to return to their seats, creating a disruption onboard.
"In the interest of the safety of all passengers and crew, the Captain decided to return the aircraft to the bay," the airline said. The two passengers were removed from the flight and handed over to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) for further action.
In a statement, an airline spokesperson said, "On July 14, 2025, two unruly passengers were offloaded from SpiceJet flight SG 9282 operating from Delhi to Mumbai. The two attempted to approach the cockpit forcefully and caused a disruption while the aircraft was taxing."
— ANI
Reader Comments
The sunset restriction is actually a safety measure at defense airports. While inconvenient, it's better than risking lives. But SpiceJet should have anticipated this - they operate these routes daily! 😕
My cousin was on this flight! They were stuck at Darbhanga airport for 8 hours with no proper food arrangements. Small airports need better passenger facilities for such situations. #TravelWoes
The unruly passenger incident shows why we need stricter aviation laws. Such behavior puts everyone at risk. Kudos to the crew for handling it professionally. Safety should always come first!
Why don't airlines use bigger planes for these routes? Smaller aircraft seem to have more technical issues. Also, DGCA should audit SpiceJet's maintenance practices - too many delays lately.
Darbhanga airport needs civilian infrastructure upgrades. Being a defense airport is fine, but with increasing passenger traffic, we need better coordination between civil and military authorities. Jai Hind!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.