Delhi-Bhubaneswar Air India flight suffers AC outage, harrowing visuals surface

A case of a mid-air ordeal surfaced from passengers onboard Air India Express flight IX-1128 from Delhi to Bhubaneswar after the aircraft’s air conditioning system allegedly failed.

The flight, which departed at 3:55 pm from Delhi, left travellers grappling with extreme cabin heat for nearly two hours. Among the 180 passengers was Gurugram-based Tusharkant Rout, who later shared harrowing details of the incident on LinkedIn, sparking widespread criticism.

Passengers’ Desperate Measures

Visuals from the flight showed distressed passengers removing shirts, fanning themselves with magazines, and gulping water to cope with soaring temperatures.

Rout described the cabin as “unbearably hot,” highlighting that one traveller suffered a serious health deterioration due to the stifling conditions. Despite repeated complaints, the crew reportedly failed to address the issue until the plane began its descent into Bhubaneswar.

Airline Cites Operational Constraints

Air India Express responded to Rout’s post, apologising for the discomfort but attributing the weak AC during boarding and taxiing to “open doors and limited power supply.”

The airline claimed the system should stabilise post-takeoff but acknowledged the feedback. Critics, however, questioned whether pre-flight safety checks were properly conducted, with social media users slamming the carrier for recurring service lapses.

ALSO READ: Security tightened in Odisha’s Paradip Port as cargo ship with 21 Pakistanis arrives

Recurring AC Issues Raise Alarms

This incident follows a similar episode on April 30, when a Pune-Jaipur Air India Express flight aborted takeoff after a passenger fell ill from an AC failure. Travellers on that flight also endured two hours in sweltering heat.

Calls for Accountability

Rout’s post, viewed by thousands, demanded urgent action to prevent future mishaps. While the airline pledged service improvements, passengers and observers slammed it for not acknowledging the issue and offering refunds.