A SpiceJet flight from Pune to Ahmedabad, carrying more than 20 passengers, was delayed for more than eight and a half hours, and boarded early Thursday morning after an overnight stay at the airport, only to return to the terminal 10 minutes after take-off due to a technical snag, prompting the flight’s cancellation.

The flight (SG-1078) was scheduled to depart at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. It was airborne after 4.30 a.m. on Thursday.

“On January 11, the flight returned to Pune due to a technical issue,” said a SpiceJet spokesperson. He further stated that the plane landed normally and no “emergency” was declared. The flight’s scheduled departure time had previously been revised, and passengers were notified in advance at 4.35 p.m. (Wednesday) so that they could plan their travel to the airport accordingly. The majority of passengers were accommodated on alternate flights on Thursday, while others chose a full refund.

Bakul Pandey, who was travelling with his wife on the flight, stated that they had completed the check-in process by 6 p.m. on Wednesday. “At first, the airline’s ground staff stated that the flight would be delayed for four hours. Then they said it would leave at 3.30 a.m., which quickly became 4.30 a.m.”

He said, “The aircraft took off after 4.40 p.m. The plane returned to the Pune airport after two hard jerks. We were told that the plane wouldn’t fly.”

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