A Malaysia Airlines flight from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur was delayed for more than two hours after the pilot found that the aircraft’s oxygen supply was insufficient for all passengers before departure, according to a report by DT Next. As a safety measure, 78 of the 178 booked passengers were kept off the flight while 100 passengers were allowed to travel.
The flight was scheduled to depart from Chennai Airport at 11.55 pm on Monday with 178 passengers and 12 crew members. It eventually took off at 2.20 am on Tuesday carrying 100 passengers and the full crew, after discussions involving airport officials, the pilot, engineers and technical experts.
The aircraft had arrived in Chennai from Kuala Lumpur at 10.35 pm on Monday, around 15 minutes ahead of its usual arrival time, the report said. During checks before the return journey, the pilot identified the oxygen-supply issue and declined to operate the aircraft with all the booked passengers on board.
The pilot informed the Chennai Airport control room and senior officials about the concern. Following consultations, airport and airline authorities decided to limit the number of passengers on the aircraft to 100. The remaining 78 passengers were told they would be accommodated on other available flights to Malaysia.
Passengers were selected for the flight according to their booking priority. Those who were not allowed to board protested against the decision, leading to confusion and tension at the airport late at night. Airline and airport officials spoke to the affected passengers and assured them that alternative travel arrangements would be made.
The 78 passengers were subsequently accommodated in the airport’s waiting lounges while arrangements were being discussed. The report did not provide details of the specific alternative flights, revised travel times or compensation offered to the passengers.
The incident highlights the operational decisions that can arise when an aircraft passes through pre-departure checks but is found to have a safety-system limitation before take-off. In this case, the pilot’s decision not to operate with the full passenger load resulted in a delayed departure and the division of one scheduled service into separate travel arrangements.
The flight finally departed for Kuala Lumpur at 2.20 am with 100 passengers and 12 crew members, while the remaining passengers were to be sent to Malaysia on other flights, according to the DT Next report.
