Patna: Flight operations at Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport were thrown into disarray on Friday, with services to Delhi and multiple other major cities running hours behind schedule. The cascading delays left hundreds of passengers stranded, prompting sporadic protests inside the terminal.
Airport officials said that a combination of poor weather conditions and a technical failure in Delhi’s air-traffic control system earlier in the night triggered the disruptions, affecting routes nationwide.
Passengers reported persistent changes in departure timings from early morning, with many accusing airlines of providing “no timely updates”. Several travellers posted videos on social media showing long queues and overcrowded waiting areas.
Delhi flights hit hardest
The worst disruptions were reported on the Delhi route.
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SpiceJet SG 729, scheduled for 8.20am, departed at 9.08am.
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IndiGo 6E 2163, meant to take off at 8.30am, left at 9.33am.
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Air India AI 1892 took off nearly two and a half hours late, at 12.42pm.
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Air India Express IX 1198 was delayed by 1 hour 15 minutes.
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IndiGo’s 6E 2134, scheduled for 10.45am, took off at 12.36pm.
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Another IndiGo service, 6E 6389, left nearly three hours late at 2.44pm.
Other routes also disrupted
The delays were not limited to Delhi:
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Patna–Ranchi: IndiGo 6E 6902 was delayed by more than two hours.
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Patna–Bengaluru: SpiceJet SG 532 departed at 1.42pm, almost an hour late.
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Patna–Mumbai: Both Air India and IndiGo saw 30–45 minute delays.
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Patna–Lucknow: IndiGo 6E 925, one of the worst affected, left at 5.33pm instead of 3.05pm.
Technical snag in Delhi ATC blamed
Airport sources told reporters that a late-night malfunction in Delhi’s ATC system had led to congestion and flight backlogs across several airports.
Passengers were left to wait for hours in lounges, with many criticising airlines for “poor communication and repeated boarding announcements that never materialised”.
More delays likely as winter fog sets in
The India Meteorological Department warned that morning flights may continue to face disruptions over the coming days as seasonal fog intensifies across the northern plains.
Airlines have issued apologies for the inconvenience and advised passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport.
