Passengers on a Dubai-bound Air India Express flight endured a long and frustrating wait at Lucknow airport on Wednesday, July 9, after their flight, IX-193, was delayed by over eight hours. Scheduled to depart at 8.45am IST (7.15am UAE time), the flight eventually took off at 5.11pm and was expected to arrive in Dubai around 7.20pm UAE time, according to data reviewed by Khaleej Times. The extended delay left many travellers exhausted, sitting or sleeping on the floor, with minimal assistance or updates from the airline.

Amrit Singh, one of the affected passengers, posted on X expressing his frustration: “There is no single staff from Air India Express helping passengers,” alongside a video showing people lying on the floor and sitting on luggage in the airport's waiting area.

Khaleej Times reached out to Air India Express for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Sources at Lucknow airport indicated that the disruption stemmed from the late arrival of Flight IX-194 from Dubai to Lucknow. That inbound flight had been delayed by over 16 hours, reportedly due to a suspected technical issue that necessitated precautionary checks the night before. Although no fault was ultimately found, the delay affected the aircraft's schedule rotation.

Supporting this explanation, another passenger, Mohammad Azam Shaikh, shared a video and post on X noting, “Air India Express flight IX-194 from Dubai to Lucknow delayed 16 hours. Now after boarding, the pilot is announcing a technical problem. Passengers are waiting since hours on the runway.” The airline responded, apologizing and citing “operational constraints” as the cause of the delay.

This incident adds to a series of recent issues involving the Dubai–Lucknow route. Just last month, Khaleej Times reported that Air India Express cancelled flights IX-193 and IX-194 for three days in a row, leaving passengers stranded. Many travellers were offered refunds or rescheduled flights — options that did little to help those with time-sensitive plans. One frustrated expat said, “What am I supposed to do with a refund when I’ve already paid for hotels and scheduled appointments?”

During that same week, the airline also cancelled at least 13 flights across major routes including Delhi, Mumbai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, drawing criticism for poor communication and lack of support at various airports.