Flyers including Members of Parliament, former diplomats and prominent authors took to social media on Monday to criticise Air India over prolonged delays, flight cancellations and long baggage queues
at Delhi airport amid smog-induced disruptions, alleging poor communication and lack of ground support.
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran said an Air India flight from Chennai to Delhi left passengers stranded on the tarmac for hours after landing, highlighting what he described as “chronic chaos” in airports. Sharing details of flight AI2832, Maran said the aircraft landed in Delhi at 9.20 am but remained stuck on the taxiway for an hour due to the unavailability of a parking bay, followed by another two hours inside the plane without ground staff assistance. He said six Members of Parliament were among the passengers.
“This is the ‘new and improved’ Air India after privatisation?” Maran wrote on social media.
Frustrating scenes at Delhi airport! Just when we thought the @IndiGo6E episode was an aberration, a reminder that something is broken in our aviation sector. @airindia’s handling of smog-induced chaos is another masterclass in what not to do! Flights cancelled for weather? Fine.… pic.twitter.com/ypQeSlU3gl
— Ajay Bisaria (@Ajaybis) December 15, 2025
Former Indian high commissioner to Canada Ajay Bisaria also flagged passenger distress, saying Air India’s handling of fog-related disruptions exposed deeper structural issues. Sharing images of stranded flyers, Bisaria said passengers waited nearly four hours for updates, while queues for baggage retrieval and rebooking stretched beyond three hours.
AI2832: Took off from Chennai at 6:50 AM, landed in Delhi by 9:20 AM.
Then 1 hour stuck on the taxiway—no parking bay available. Another 2 hours trapped inside the aircraft—no ground staff turned up.
Six Members of Parliament were among the passengers on this flight.
This is…
— Dayanidhi Maran தயாநிதி மாறன் (@Dayanidhi_Maran) December 15, 2025
Author and lyricist Neelesh Misra echoed similar concerns, questioning last-minute flight cancellations that left travellers stranded after they had already reached airports or left home. He criticised what he described as generic airline statements that failed to acknowledge the real inconvenience faced by passengers.
You realised this consequential impact of morning delays when passengers had left homes or reached the airport for a 9 PM flight?
Please stop parroting these readymade statements. https://t.co/gEBZW2gj2F
— Neelesh Misra (@neeleshmisra) December 15, 2025
Responding to Misra on social media, Air India said one of its flights was cancelled due to the “consequential impact of poor visibility caused by dense fog in Delhi” and added that teams were “trying to the best of their abilities to assist all passengers,” while seeking patience and understanding.
Dense fog and smog conditions across north India have disrupted flight schedules in recent days, but passengers and public figures alike have raised questions over whether airlines are adequately prepared to manage such seasonal disruptions.
