Dubai: Air India released a statement after passengers in Dubai complained of delays and non-functioning ACs inside flights. The airline blamed ATC congestion and airspace closure in the Middle East for the situation. Passengers at Dubai Airport had raised concerns regarding the services of Air India, after they were made to sit for 5 hours inside an aircraft on June 13.
Airline responds after viral video
A video from inside the Air India flight went viral on social media, showing passengers sitting uncomfortably inside the airplane in Dubai. One of the passengers reportedly talked about the unbearable heat inside the aircraft. The airline took cognizance of the video and said, “We came across a video on social media, where a guest complained of cabin temperature while the aircraft was on the ground, an hour before departure. The air conditioning system was working properly.”
Air India Express flight IX-196 (Dubai to Jaipur) turned into a nightmare passengers were stuck inside the plane for over 5 hours with no AC, food, or water.😓 Flight took off 5+ hrs late. Many called it a shocking failure in basic care. #AirIndiaExpress #FlightDelay #Passengers pic.twitter.com/IDvabCB9E0
— Rahul Maggo (@RahulMaggo10) June 15, 2025
However, they added, that when an aircraft remains on the ground for a long period and doors are open, especially in the hot weather, like that of Dubai, the cooling affect might not be optimal until after takeoff.
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The airline claimed that its cabin crew, as per established procedure secured the cabin for departure and attended to the guests requests, once the flight was in the air. They claimed that the cabin was at optimum cooling after the flight was air bound.
Air India apologised for the inconvenience caused to the passengers. But they claimed that the condition in the flight was caused due to conditions beyond their control.
The Air India Express flight IX 196 was flying from Dubai to Rajasthan’s Jaipur. In the video shared on social media by passengers from inside the aircraft, passengers including elderly and children were seen sweating while sitting on their seats. The temperature in Dubai at the time was 40 degrees Celsius at the time, claimed the passengers.
