India, Jan. 21 -- Passengers aboard Air India flight AI2470 from Pune to Delhi faced hours of uncertainty and mounting frustration on Tuesday after being told to remain seated inside the aircraft for more than an hour without any clear explanation for the delay, turning what was meant to be a short morning journey into a prolonged ordeal.

The flight was originally scheduled to depart at 7.40 am and arrive in Delhi at 9.55 am. Passengers said boarding was completed on time but they were made to wait while seated inside the aircraft without any official communication from the airline. As minutes stretched into an hour, tempers flared among the travellers, many of whom were headed to the national capital for time-sensitive commitments such ...