Akasa Air Pune–Ahmedabad Flight Delayed, Then Cancelled; 150+ Passengers Stranded Overnight

Viman Nagar, 19th January 2026: More than 150 passengers travelling on an Akasa Air flight from Pune to Ahmedabad were left stranded at Pune airport for nearly 11 hours on Saturday night after repeated delays, frequent gate changes and a lack of clear communication from the airline.

The flight, QP-1509, was scheduled to depart Pune at 10.10 pm and reach Ahmedabad by 11.45 pm. However, the departure time kept getting pushed back through the night, leaving passengers confused and frustrated.

Sanjiv Patil, a resident of Wagholi and one of the affected passengers, said the trouble started even before he reached the airport. “While I was on the way, I got a message saying the flight was delayed to 11.20 pm. Once I arrived, the staff told us it would now leave at 11.55 pm. Then the gate kept changing — first 5, then 7, and then 9. Around 11.40 pm, they announced another delay and said the flight would take off at 12.30 am,” he said.

Patil said boarding did not begin at the new time either. “At around 1.30 am, we were asked to go to gate 7, but when we reached there, an IndiGo flight was boarding from the same gate. We were told our flight couldn’t use it. Passengers started getting restless because no one was giving us a straight answer about what was happening,” he said.

According to Patil, an airline official later informed them that the aircraft coming to Pune from Delhi was delayed due to the non-availability of parking bays, and by the time it arrived, the pilot’s duty hours had expired. “We even saw the pilot leave the area. We requested the airline to arrange another flight, but they said it wasn’t possible. Finally, around 3.30 am, they announced that the flight was cancelled and offered refunds. Some people checked other flights, but the last-minute fares were as high as ₹15,000,” he added.

In a statement, Akasa Air said the delay and eventual cancellation were due to operational and safety reasons. “Akasa Air flight QP 1509 from Pune to Ahmedabad on January 17 was delayed due to operational constraints. Subsequently, crew duty time limits came into effect, and the flight could not operate in compliance with mandatory safety regulations. Our ground teams kept passengers informed, provided refreshments and hotel accommodation. An additional flight, QP 6950, was arranged, which departed Pune at 9.10 am on January 18 and landed in Ahmedabad at 10.45 am,” an airline spokesperson said.

However, passengers said assistance came very late. “Refreshments were given only around 5 am. People were angry and exhausted. Arguments kept breaking out. We finally boarded the new flight around 8.45 am. I reached my home from Ahmedabad airport only around 11.30 am,” Patil said, adding that senior citizens, women and infants were among those who suffered through the night.

Another passenger said many flyers learned about the cancellation through social media rather than from airline staff. “There was no proper announcement. Some of us were taken to a hotel, but it was already full. Then they shifted us to another one. It was almost 6 am by the time we got there, and we had to return to the airport again for the 9 am flight,” he said.

The incident has once again raised questions about communication and passenger handling during long delays at Pune airport, especially during late-night operations.