‘What is going on?’: Sam Dalrymple slams Air India over cancellation chaos at Delhi airport

For thousands of air travellers in India, a flight cancellation is no longer just an inconvenience — it has become a test of patience, endurance, and access to basic information. While airlines often cite fog, weather disruptions, or operational issues, passengers say the real crisis begins after a flight is delayed or cancelled, when communication from airline staff simply disappears. 

Recent travel chaos at major hubs such as Delhi has exposed a deeper, systemic problem across Indian airlines: the failure to inform passengers in a timely and transparent manner, leaving them stranded, confused, and harassed for hours. 

‘Found out through the app’ 

Highlighting this breakdown, historian, author, and filmmaker Sam Dalrymple, who is based between Delhi and London, shared his ordeal involving Air India in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Dalrymple said he woke up at 3 am for a 6 am Air India flight from Delhi to Hyderabad (AI 2513), only to see the departure delayed repeatedly — one hour at a time — over a span of 12 hours. Eventually, the flight was cancelled altogether. 

What shocked passengers most, he said, was that there was no airline staff present to officially announce the cancellation. 

“There was no staff to tell the passengers that it was cancelled though – we found out when someone logged into the app,” Dalrymple wrote. According to him, a lone staff member later attempted to assist passengers but appeared equally in the dark, as “the higher ups weren’t telling her” what was happening.

From delays to baggage chaos 

The ordeal did not end with the cancellation. Dalrymple said that even 14 hours after the scheduled departure, passengers were directed to the baggage reclaim area — only to encounter yet another layer of confusion. 

“Now somehow Air India have lost the plane… and don’t know where our suitcases are,” he wrote, adding that some travellers had already been waiting four hours just to retrieve their luggage. 

In a reply, Air India wrote, “Dear Mr. Dalrymple, we understand that disruptions are never ideal. The flight schedule has been impacted due to poor visibility caused by dense fog in Delhi this morning. Kindly let us know if we may connect with you to assist with the alternate flight as per availability.”

Replying to the airline, Dalrymple wrote, “The flight visibility issue ended at midday since when all other flights have been running. The issue is that your groundstaff have no idea what is going on, and that its taken some six hours now to release our suitcases.”

Passengers left to figure it out

What frustrates travellers most is not the delay itself, but the absence of reliable information. Many passengers now rely on airline apps, social media, or fellow travellers rather than official announcements. 

The result is overcrowded terminals, emotional distress, missed connections, elderly passengers without assistance, and families stuck overnight without clarity on refunds, rebooking, or accommodation. 

As Dalrymple asked in his post, echoing a sentiment shared by countless travellers across Indian airports: “What is going on?” 

While IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has repeatedly faced criticism for mass cancellations and long delays during fog-heavy winter mornings, passenger accounts suggest that the lack of communication cuts across airlines, including full-service and budget carriers alike. 

Aviation experts point out that while delays due to weather or air traffic congestion are unavoidable, failing to inform passengers violates basic service expectations and regulatory guidelines. Civil Aviation norms require airlines to clearly communicate delays, cancellations, and alternative arrangements — but enforcement remains weak.