Passengers on an Air India flight claimed they were left stranded on the plane without air conditioning for over 8 hours, leading to some fainting, according to reports on Thursday. 

Journalist Shweta Punj, who was on board, stated on her official X handle that the Air India flight was late by over 8 hours, and passengers "were made to board the plane and sit without air conditioning" at Delhi Airport.

While tagging Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Punj on her official handle stated: "If there is a privatisation story that has failed, it is Air India. The DGCA [aviation regulator] AI 183 flight has been delayed for over eight hours. Passengers were made to board the plane without air conditioning and then deplaned after some people fainted in the flight. This is inhuman."

Passengers posted visuals showing people, including children, sitting on the floor, looking exhausted. Delhi is currently experiencing a severe heatwave, with temperatures reaching a record 52.9°C on Wednesday.

In response to her post, Air India said: "Dear Ms. Punj, we truly regret to note the disruptions. Please rest assured that our team is actively working to address the delay and appreciates your ongoing support and understanding. We are also alerting our team to provide necessary assistance to the passengers."

In January, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) introduced new guidelines to manage chaotic situations like flight delays and cancellations. The guidelines state that airlines can cancel flights expected to be delayed by over three hours.