SpiceJet ruined my first-ever international flight experience
SpiceJet ruined both legs of my first-ever international trip
I recently completed my first international trip for a business visit to Dubai. Unfortunately, both my onward and return flights were with SpiceJet, and the experience was so poor that I don't see myself flying with them again.
Mumbai → Dubai (SG-5060)
The flight was scheduled to depart Mumbai at 8:20 AM. Since the baggage counters were to open at 4:15 AM, I reached T1 at around 3:45 AM.
Despite my luggage being fully within the permitted limits (7 kg cabin baggage and 30 kg checked baggage), the check-in staff informed me that they were unable to add my baggage to the booking. No explanation was given. I was simply asked to wait.
I ended up sitting helplessly in the waiting area from around 4:35 AM until 7:00 AM. Nobody could explain what the problem was, how long it would take, or whether I would even be allowed to board. As a first-time international traveler, I was genuinely terrified of missing my flight.
Then, almost magically, at around 7 AM they were suddenly able to add the baggage and print my boarding pass. No explanation was provided.
The onboard experience wasn't impressive either. The cabin interior looked worn out, some tray tables were loose, the seats felt dated, and despite pre-booking a meal, nothing was served except water in paper cups.
To be fair, despite taking off nearly an hour late, the flight somehow arrived in Dubai on schedule.
I thought perhaps I had just been unlucky.
I was wrong.
Dubai → Mumbai (SG-5114)
The return flight was scheduled to depart Dubai at 11:45 PM on 20th May.
I reached the airport around 8:30 PM and was greeted by complete chaos.
SpiceJet had six baggage counters allocated, but only four were operational. Worse, there was no proper segregation between Mumbai-bound and Delhi-bound passengers. The result was absolute mayhem, with multiple serpentine queues and nobody knowing where they were supposed to stand.
I remained in the queue from 8:30 PM until nearly 11:00 PM.
At around 10:15 PM, an announcement was suddenly made asking Mumbai passengers to come forward. Predictably, this led to verbal arguments, pushing, queue-jumping, and general confusion. It was one of the most poorly managed airport operations I have personally witnessed.
When my turn finally came, the exact same issue from Mumbai occurred again: the system was unable to generate and print my boarding pass. Once again, nobody could explain what the problem was.
The only bright spot in this entire ordeal was the Dubai ground staff and duty manager, who acted quickly and eventually resolved the issue.
I finally rushed toward immigration around 11:15 PM.
After clearing immigration and security, we boarded the aircraft, only to be told to remain seated because certain ground arrangements had not yet been completed. Passengers sat inside the aircraft for nearly an hour before departure.
The flight that was supposed to leave at 11:45 PM eventually departed at around 1:50 AM—more than two hours late.
Strangely enough, just like the onward journey, it still managed to reach Mumbai roughly on schedule.
Unfortunately, the ordeal didn't end there. After landing, baggage delivery took another 40 minutes. I finally exited Mumbai Airport at around 7:30 AM.
Final Thoughts
Every airline faces operational challenges. Delays happen. Technical issues happen.
What frustrated me most was the complete lack of communication, poor queue management, and repeated inability to handle basic check-in processes. If a passenger is facing an issue, at least explain what is happening.
This was my first-ever international trip, something I had been looking forward to for years. Instead of excitement, I remember hours of anxiety, confusion, waiting in queues, and wondering whether I would even make my flights.
Has anyone else experienced similar issues with SpiceJet, especially on international routes?
P.S. I have drafted the post using ChatGPT.