Pune: More than 150 passengers on an Akasa Air flight from Pune to Ahmedabad faced a night-long ordeal on Saturday after repeated delays, changing gate
numbers and lack of clear communication, before the flight was eventually cancelled in the early hours of Sunday. The flight, QP-1509, was scheduled to depart Pune at 10.10 pm on January 17 and land in Ahmedabad by 11.45 pm. However, passengers said the delay stretched for nearly 11 hours, leaving them stranded at Pune airport through the night, Times of India reported. Wagholi resident Sanjiv Patil, one of the passengers, said the confusion began even before he reached the airport. “I was on my way to the airport when I received a message that the flight was delayed and would fly at 11.20pm. However, after reaching the airport, the airlines told us it would fly at 11.55pm. The gate number changed from 5 to 7 and then to 9. Around 11.40pm, we were informed the flight had been deferred again and would take off at 12.30am,” Patil told Times of India. Read More: Vande Bharat Express 4.0 to Run on Ahmedabad–Mumbai Route in 2027: Check Details The uncertainty continued past midnight. Patil said passengers were repeatedly asked to move between gates, only to find other airlines boarding instead. “At 1.30am, we were told to proceed to gate number 7. We reached there to see an IndiGo flight boarding. Their staff told us the gate was occupied and another IndiGo flight's flyers would board from the same gate. We returned to gate number 7. Passengers started to lose patience since the operator was not giving us clarity,” he said.
@mohol_murlidhar @MoCA_GoI ji need your urgent intervention. @AkasaAir @ResponseAkasa Pune to Ahmedabad Flight QP1509 is getting delayed since 22:00 hrs from 17th January, Chaos at Pune Airport, No clarity about flight status as of Now. Senior Citizens, New Borns are suffering.… pic.twitter.com/mW6aFvgCxi
— SanjiV Patill (@Sanjiv_Patill) January 17, 2026
According to Patil, airline staff later informed passengers that the incoming aircraft from Delhi was delayed due to a shortage of parking bays at Pune airport. By the time the aircraft arrived, the pilot had exceeded duty hours and refused to operate the flight.
“In fact, we saw the pilot leave the area. We asked the airlines to arrange a different flight for us, but they said it was not possible,” he said.
At around 3.30 am, passengers were told the flight had been cancelled and were offered refunds. Some attempted to book alternative flights but were deterred by steep last-minute fares. “Some flyers checked other flights, but the last-minute fares were touching Rs 15,000,” Patil added.
Akasa Air, however, said passengers were informed about the cancellation much earlier. In a statement, the airline said, “Akasa Air flight QP 1509, scheduled to operate from Pune to Ahmedabad on Jan 17, was delayed because of operational reasons. Subsequently, flight duty time limitations were required to be applied to the assigned crew. We were unable to proceed with the flight in compliance with mandatory safety regulations. Our airport teams on the ground kept the passengers informed, provided refreshments and hotel accommodation. An additional flight QP 6950 was arranged for the passengers that departed Pune at 9.10am and landed in Ahmedabad at 10.45am on Jan 18.”
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Passengers, however, disputed the airline’s claims, saying refreshments were provided only around 5 am and accommodation arrangements were poorly managed.
“Passengers were angry and frustrated, and arguments kept breaking out. Finally, we boarded the flight by 8.45am. Around 11.30am, I left Ahmedabad airport for my house which is around 50km away. The flyers included senior citizens, women and infants, and they all bore the brunt,” Patil said.
Another passenger, Ahmedabad resident Het Mehta, said many travellers learnt about the cancellation through social media rather than official announcements.
Shameful behaviour by @AkasaAir , They made us wait for 4 hours and now saying the flight is cancelled.
Flight QP1509 was supposed to depart on 10:15, they changed the gates multiple times and wasted our time and now their mouth is shut, not assisting and helping on any grounds… pic.twitter.com/TJLHA4iJEF— Het Mehta (@hetmehtaa) January 17, 2026
“The airlines didn't tell us anything. Some passengers were taken to a hotel in a bus which arrived half an hour late, but the hotel was full. Then they took us to another hotel. It was nearly 6am by the time we reached the hotel and had to come back to the airport for the flight at 9am,” said Mehta, the report added.
