Overview
- SpiceJet flight SG553 was cancelled after passengers boarded and completed a safety briefing on Sunday, Nov 1, leaving travellers to deplane after roughly an hour on the aircraft.
- The airline said the flight could not land because Gorakhpur is a defence airport and its watch hours could not be extended beyond 9:00 pm.
- A viral video posted by passenger Vijay Lakshmi Mallya shows chaotic deplaning, crying children and claims that crew and the pilot left after the cancellation announcement.
- SpiceJet said it scheduled an additional commercial flight for the affected travellers on Nov 2 and expressed regret for the inconvenience.
- The episode has intensified public criticism of SpiceJet’s operational handling and raised questions about why boarding proceeded when a late landing window was uncertain, increasing calls for accountability and clarity on compensation.