Passengers of a SpiceJet flight going from Delhi to Darbhanga had a heated exchange with the airline officials after the airline cancelled the flight five minutes before boarding, the passengers said.

They have shared visuals of passengers shouting slogans in protest at the boarding gate in Delhi airport’s terminal 3. They were waiting to board SpiceJet flight No. SG 495.

“SpiceJet murdabad, murdabad,” the passengers were seen shouting, their hands raised.

Some of the passengers who have been flying the Delhi-Darbhanga route alleged the airline has been cancelling flights on this route frequently for the last few months.

They alleged every other day SpiceJet has been cancelling Delhi-Darbhanga flights just before boarding. This has led to anger building up among passengers, they said.

The airline hasn’t issued a statement on the matter yet.

Last month, the aviation regulator DGCA placed SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance after a recent audit revealed “certain deficiencies”.

The airline has been struggling to fully restore operations despite multiple fund-raises over the last year, trailing rivals IndiGo and Tata-owned Air India in terms of market share.

SpiceJet on September 10 announced that Carlyle Group’s commercial aviation investment and servicing unit will write off $40.2 million of the airline’s lease arrears and convert $30 million of its arrears into equity.

The conversion, at Rs 100 ($1.19) per share of SpiceJet, was a 56 per cent premium to its close on September 10. The conversion will “significantly” increase Carlyle Aviation’s stake in the carrier, SpiceJet had said.

The central probe agency arrested ex-principal of RG Kar Medical College Dr Sandip Ghosh and Kolkata Police official Abhijit Mandal for destructing evidence and misleading the probe in the Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder case