Mid-air scare as Goa-Pune flight's windowpane dislodges inside

Hindustan Times

02-07-2025

Passengers aboard SpiceJet flight SG-1080 from Goa to Pune experienced a mid-air scare when an interior window panel detached mid-flight, sparking panic and raising fresh concerns about airline safety and aircraft maintenance standards. The airline clarified that there was no cabin depressurisation as the outer layers of the windowpane remained intact and passenger safety was not compromised. The airline clarified that there was no cabin depressurisation as the outer layers of the windowpane remained intact and passenger safety was not compromised. (HT PHOTO)
The incident occurred on Tuesday shortly after take-off from Goa. Flyers seated near the affected window described a sudden detachment of the inner plastic shell and shutter, exposing the insulation material underneath. While SpiceJet clarified that the aircraft's outer windowpane remained intact—thereby preventing cabin depressurisation—several passengers called the episode frightening and unacceptable.
'There was no cabin depressurisation, and passenger safety was not compromised,' SpiceJet said in a statement issued after the incident. However, visuals shared online by passengers showed the dislodged window trim inside the flight hanging loose, with cabin crew seen attempting to temporarily reattach the panel during the flight.
Aatish Mishra, one of the flyers on board, posted on social media: 'SpiceJet from Goa to Pune today (Tuesday). The whole interior window assembly just fell off mid-flight. And this flight is now supposed to take off and head to Jaipur. Wonder if it's airworthy.'
Another passenger, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, 'Thankfully the structural outer window was intact. But the inner panel coming off mid-air is still a serious concern. This kind of thing just shouldn't happen. The flight attendants tried to handle the situation calmly. They relocated a woman and her infant to another seat. One crew member managed to fix the panel back, but it didn't look very secure. A sudden jolt and it could have come off again.'
Adding to the ordeal, the flight—originally scheduled to depart at 5.20pm—took off only at 6.55pm after a delay of over 90 minutes. Passengers said they were not informed in advance about the delay and received no explanation from the airline staff.
In its official response, a SpiceJet spokesperson downplayed the severity of the incident, calling it cosmetic in nature. 'A cosmetic window frame on one of SpiceJet's Q400 aircraft became loose during flight and was found dislodged. This was a non-structural trim component, fitted onto the window for the purpose of shade, and did not compromise the safety or integrity of the aircraft in any way. Cabin pressurisation remained normal throughout the flight,' the statement said.
The airline added that the window panel was repaired upon landing at the next station, in line with standard maintenance procedures.