puneletters@hindustantimes.comFlyers expressed frustration over what they described as poor communication and limited assistance. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)Passengers on Air India Express flight from Pune to Bhubaneswar faced prolonged inconvenience after the service was delayed by more than seven hours, leaving flyers stranded at the airport.The flight, scheduled to depart Pune at 9.10 pm on May 30, eventually took off around 4.20 am on May 31 and reached Bhubaneswar at about 6.40 am. During the delay, passengers remained at the airport for hours, with several alleging that the airline did not provide clear information on the expected departure time.Flyers expressed frustration over what they described as poor communication and limited assistance. They said updates on the revised schedule were either delayed or lacked detail, creating uncertainty for families, senior citizens and those with onward connections.Passenger Tushar Senapati posted on X: “7+ hours delay for Flight IX1098 and still no clarity from Air India Express. Passengers are stuck at the airport while updates remain vague. This isn’t customer service, it’s passenger harassment.”Another passenger, requesting anonymity, said: “We understand that operational issues can happen, but passengers deserve timely and transparent communication. We were left waiting for hours without knowing when the flight would actually depart. The uncertainty was the most frustrating part.”Responding to the complaints, Air India Express said in a statement: “We apologise for the disruption in your flight schedule, and we understand that the delays are disappointing. Please note your flight has been delayed due to operational reasons. For flights affected by such disruptions, we offer service recovery options, including rebooking on an alternative flight or a full refund. Please reach out to our staff at the airport for any assistance.”While the airline cited operational reasons, passengers said better communication and more frequent updates could have reduced inconvenience during the overnight delay. The incident has again raised concerns over passenger communication during flight disruptions, with travellers calling for more proactive information-sharing by airlines.