Passengers traveling between India and Oman faced major disruption over the weekend after an Air India Express service from Mumbai to Muscat was hit by an overnight delay of around 10 hours at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, leaving scores of travelers stranded in the terminal through the night and into the early hours.

Overnight Ordeal on Mumbai–Muscat Service

The Air India Express flight, operating the Mumbai–Muscat sector and identified by passengers as IX 235, was scheduled to depart Mumbai late on Saturday, February 14, 2026, with an expected arrival in Muscat shortly before midnight local time. Instead, a technical malfunction discovered shortly before departure triggered an extended delay that pushed the final departure into Sunday morning, stretching the wait to roughly 10 hours.

According to information from airport operations and flight-tracking data, the aircraft, which should have left Mumbai around 11:20 p.m. India time, remained on the ground overnight after a technical snag was identified during pre-departure checks. The knock-on effect shifted the eventual arrival into Muscat to approximately 9:20 a.m. Gulf Standard Time on Sunday, February 15, well past the original schedule and long after connecting flights and early-morning plans had been disrupted.

What was planned as a routine late-night hop across the Arabian Sea turned into an ordeal for families, business travelers, and migrant workers who were forced to spend the night in the departure area at Mumbai’s Terminal 2, with many reporting limited, sporadic updates from airline staff and little clarity about when the flight would finally depart.

Technical Snag Triggers Repeated Delays

Air India Express has indicated that the extensive delay was caused by a technical issue discovered just before the aircraft was due to push back from the gate. The problem, described by officials as a “technical snag,” required the aircraft to be grounded while engineering teams conducted inspections and attempts at rectification, leading to multiple rolling departure estimates through the night.

Passengers reported that initial boarding went ahead broadly according to schedule before crew members informed them of a last-minute snag. The aircraft, still at the gate, was then taken out of service pending checks. In line with security and operational protocols, travelers who had already boarded were asked to deplane and re-enter the terminal, where they were subject to repeat security screening procedures.

Engineering personnel worked overnight on the affected aircraft, but the cascading nature of technical troubleshooting meant departure times were revised several times. While the airline ultimately managed to operate the flight to Muscat on the same aircraft, the extended wait raised questions about how the disruption was managed and whether clearer, more proactive communication could have reduced the frustration experienced by those on the ground.

Stranded at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport

For travelers inside Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, the delay was felt most acutely in the long, uncertain hours between midnight and dawn. With the departure reset multiple times, some passengers said they were hesitant to leave the gate area or attempt to rest for fear of missing sudden updates.

Several passengers recounted being left to sleep in terminal seating or on the floor, while others with children and elderly family members struggled to find suitable space and basic comforts during the overnight wait. While airports routinely handle delayed flights, overnight disruptions on international routes can compound strain, especially when the number of affected travelers is high and alternative flights or rebooking options are limited.

Reports from the terminal suggested that refreshments and limited assistance were eventually offered, but many passengers argued that support measures came late and did not fully address the discomfort of spending an entire night in the departure hall. The absence of comprehensive updates on the nature of the technical problem, and the lack of a definitive departure time until early morning, added to a sense of uncertainty.

Passenger Anger Over Communication and Care

While most passengers acknowledged that safety-critical technical issues must take priority, many voiced strong dissatisfaction with how the delay was communicated. Several said that announcements were intermittent and often lacked detail, leaving them unsure whether to anticipate a short delay of a few hours or to prepare for a far longer disruption.

Some travelers reported that it was only after repeated requests that more concrete information began to flow. Others said they received more timely indications of extended delay by monitoring flight-tracking apps or media updates than from official communication inside the terminal. For those traveling for medical appointments, business meetings, or job-related commitments in Oman, the lack of early clarity meant they could not promptly adjust onward plans.

The episode has sparked renewed debate around passenger rights and airline responsibilities during prolonged disruptions. Consumer advocates argue that clear, frequent communication, timely provision of food and water, and assistance with rebooking or accommodations where necessary should be standard practice, particularly when delays stretch into double-digit hours overnight.

Impact on India–Oman Travel Corridor

The Mumbai–Muscat link is part of a wider, heavily used air corridor connecting Indian cities to the Sultanate of Oman, which is home to a large Indian expatriate workforce. Services between India and Oman are especially critical for blue-collar and mid-level professionals who rely on affordable, point-to-point operations provided by carriers such as Air India Express.

This latest disruption comes against a broader backdrop of operational volatility on India–Oman routes. Air India Express has previously drawn scrutiny in Oman after canceling multiple services from Muscat to various Indian cities due to operational reasons, prompting concern among expatriate communities dependent on these flights. While the current incident centers on a technical fault rather than planned cancellations, its effects further highlight the fragility of connectivity for workers and families who have limited route alternatives.

For passengers booked on the disrupted Mumbai–Muscat service, the 10-hour delay meant missed connections within Oman and onward to other Gulf states, as well as lost workdays and added accommodation expenses at the destination. Travel agents in Muscat and Mumbai said they fielded a rush of last-minute calls from affected travelers seeking guidance on rescheduling local transport, meetings, and visa-related appointments.

Operational Pressures and Safety Priorities

Aviation experts note that technical snags, while deeply inconvenient for passengers, are an inescapable part of modern airline operations. Carriers are obligated to defer departure if any anomaly could affect airworthiness, even if the issue might appear minor from a passenger perspective. In this case, the decision to ground the aircraft rather than rush a departure will likely be framed by the airline and regulators as evidence that safety protocols are being followed as intended.

However, analysts also point out that the frequency and handling of such technical delays can reflect deeper stresses within an airline’s maintenance planning, fleet age profile, and operational resilience. As Air India Express works to integrate more closely with its parent brand and the broader Tata-led aviation portfolio, questions are being raised about whether engineering resources and contingency planning are keeping pace with demand on key international routes.

Sector observers say that managing overnight technical disruptions effectively requires a combination of rapid diagnostics, clear chains of command, and robust passenger-care protocols on the ground. Where multiple flights compete for limited engineering capacity, prioritizing international departures that lack easy substitute services can be critical in limiting the impact on cross-border flows.

Oman’s sizeable Indian diaspora, concentrated in Muscat and other urban centers, has long pressed for more predictable and diversified air links to Indian metros and regional hubs. Previous suspensions and schedule adjustments by carriers on the India–Oman route have triggered petitions, outreach to lawmakers, and appeals to aviation authorities both in New Delhi and Muscat.

The prolonged delay on the Mumbai–Muscat flight has already prompted fresh calls from community leaders and frequent travelers for airlines to improve both reliability and crisis handling. Many argue that, given the essential nature of these flights for workers on fixed leave cycles and limited budgets, airlines should have stronger backup plans, including access to spare aircraft or rerouting options when long technical delays emerge.

Travel intermediaries in Muscat say the incident could nudge some higher-paying passengers toward full-service alternatives where available, but warn that price-sensitive travelers, especially those in lower-income jobs, have little flexibility. For them, the key demand is not premium service but basic reliability and transparent treatment when things go wrong.

Scrutiny of Airline Response and Policy Implications

In the wake of the disruption, attention is turning to how Air India Express handled compensation, meal vouchers, and other forms of assistance. Indian aviation regulations provide a framework for passenger entitlements in the event of long delays, though implementation can vary depending on whether a disruption is classified as within the airline’s control or driven by extraordinary circumstances.

Legal and consumer-rights specialists say that when technical issues arise during routine operations, regulators may view them as falling within an airline’s sphere of responsibility, especially if questions arise about maintenance practices or resource allocation. That, in turn, can influence whether passengers are entitled to reimbursement, hotel accommodation, or alternative transport options in cases of overnight delays.

As reports of the Mumbai–Muscat delay circulate, it is likely that regulators, including India’s aviation authorities, will take a closer look at the sequence of events and the airline’s on-the-ground response. Any subsequent directives or clarifications could shape how future disruptions are managed, not only on India–Oman routes but across the broader regional network.

Ongoing Travel Disruptions and Traveler Preparedness

The Mumbai–Muscat delay adds to a growing catalogue of high-profile disruptions at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in recent months, including incidents affecting long-haul and regional services alike. While each case has its own operational cause, the cumulative effect has been to remind travelers that last-minute disruptions can derail even well-planned itineraries.

Travel advisors now routinely suggest that passengers on critical journeys, particularly those involving job reporting dates, medical visits, or tight layovers, allow extra buffer time or avoid scheduling nonrefundable commitments immediately after arrival. For expatriate workers flying to or from Oman, that can be a difficult adjustment, as leave windows are often tightly fixed and travel costs carefully budgeted.

Yet as the experience of the stranded Mumbai–Muscat passengers demonstrates, the combination of technical vulnerability and operational pressure on popular routes can make robust contingency planning as important for individual travelers as it is for airlines. With demand on the India–Oman corridor expected to remain strong through 2026, the way carriers respond to this and similar incidents may determine not just their reputations, but also the resilience of a vital cross-border lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people.