Spicejet passengers claim being made to sit in flight without AC for an hour
A passenger claimed that the temperature inside the flight was 40 degrees and the air-conditioner was switched on after the flight took off.
Passengers of a SpiceJet flight from Delhi to Darbhanga on Wednesday alleged that they had to wait inside the aircraft without air conditioning (AC) for over an hour amid the ongoing heatwave. As a result, several passengers complained of feeling unwell.
In an interaction with news agency ANI, a passenger, Rohan Kumar confirmed the incident. Kumar claimed that the temperature inside the flight was 40 degrees and the air-conditioner was switched on after the flight took off.
"I was travelling from Delhi to Darbhanga (SG 476) from SpiceJet. At the Delhi airport after the check-in, they did not switch on the air-conditioning (AC) for an hour. The temperature inside (flight) was 40 degrees. The passengers were suffering. The air-conditioner (AC) was switched on when the flight took off...," said Kumar.
However, SpiceJet Spokesperson has denied the charges. In a statement, the spokesperson said: "SpiceJet flight SG 476 from Delhi to Darbhanga on June 19, scheduled to depart at 11 am, departed on time without any delays. The air conditioning was working normally throughout the flight, which was verified and cross-checked upon arrival in Darbhanga.During boarding in Delhi, the air conditioning initially experienced slight inefficiency due to extreme weather conditions and both doors of the aircraft being open, as boarding was not via the aerobridge. The doors were promptly closed after boarding completion, and the cooling functioned normally thereafter".
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Delhi has been witnessing extreme heatwave conditions with high temperatures. On Wednesday, Delhi experienced the warmest night in 12 years with the minimum temperature settling at 35.2 degrees Celsius, over eight notches above the season's normal, the weather office said.
Amid the heatwave in Delhi, hospitals are seeing an influx of patients with complaints of heat stroke and exhaustion. Doctors have urged the elderly and immuno-compromised patients to avoid stepping outdoors.
On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said there is a possibility of light rain in Delhi in the next three to four days, reported news agency ANI.
"There is a possibility of rain in Delhi, called pre-monsoon showers due to southwesterly winds in the next three or four days. Heat waves can be reduced. The discomfort which you are feeling indicates that moisture is increasing in your area," IMD scientist Soma Sen said.
"Heat wave conditions likely to continue over many parts of North India (except Uttar Pradesh) during next 24 hours and gradually abate thereafter," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.