Socha nhi tha plane ke neeche sona padega: SpiceJet’s SG-533 flight from Mumbai to Gorakhpur cancellation forces passenger to lie near aircraft, airline responds

Passengers travelling on a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Gorakhpur were seen sleeping on the airport apron near an aircraft after their journey was disrupted by a late-night cancellation. A video shared by a passenger, Vijay Lakshmi Mallya, showed several travellers spending the night near the plane, with the airline later citing operating-hour restrictions at Gorakhpur airport as the reason for cancelling the service.

The video showed Mallya sitting near the aircraft alongside other passengers. Speaking in Hindi, she said, “Kabhi socha bhi nahi tha ki plane ke neeche sona padega” (I never imagined that I would have to sleep under a plane). She then turned the camera towards the aircraft and showed other passengers resting nearby.

The footage also showed Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel standing around the group, while two buses operated by the airline were parked nearby to transport passengers back to the airport terminal.

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A post shared by Vijay Lakshmi Mallya (@vijaylakshmimallya3)

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Passenger shares video of tense moments after SpiceJet flight cancellation

In an earlier video, Mallya had shared footage of the tense atmosphere after the cancellation. Several passengers appeared distressed as they prepared to deboard, with some raising their voices.

She alleged that the pilot and other crew members left after announcing the cancellation, leaving passengers panicked and uncertain about what would happen next. In the video, she described the situation as unacceptable and called for action against the airline.

The footage drew criticism on social media, with users questioning how the airline handled the disruption and what assistance was provided to those left stranded.

Why was SpiceJet flight SG553 from Mumbai to Gorakhpur cancelled?

SpiceJet said flight SG553, scheduled to operate from Mumbai to Gorakhpur on November 1, 2026, was cancelled because of watch-hour restrictions at the destination airport.

The airline explained that Gorakhpur is a defence airport and that its operating hours could not be extended beyond 9 pm. In its official statement, SpiceJet said the flight was cancelled due to the restrictions and that permission to operate beyond the stipulated hours was not available.

Passenger questions why travellers were allowed to board

While SpiceJet attributed the cancellation to airport operating restrictions, an affected passenger questioned why boarding had been permitted if the flight could not operate after the cut-off time.

In a social media post, the passenger alleged that the departure time had been revised multiple times. Travellers were reportedly allowed to board the aircraft, complete the safety briefing and remain seated for nearly an hour before being informed that the flight had been cancelled.

The passenger questioned why the airline proceeded with boarding despite the airport's operating-hour restrictions and described the handling of the situation as professional negligence. These allegations have not been independently verified.

SpiceJet schedules additional flight for stranded passengers

Following the cancellation, SpiceJet said it had arranged an additional commercial flight for November 2 to transport the affected passengers to Gorakhpur.