Around 380 Singapore Airlines Passengers Stranded for Two Days After Flights to Singapore Delayed

December 19, 2025

A significant number of Singapore Airlines (SIA) passengers faced extended travel delays this week. Long-haul flights from New York and Istanbul to Singapore were postponed several times, leaving about 380 travelers stuck in departure cities for almost two days.

Flight SQ21 was set to depart from Newark Liberty International Airport (New Jersey, USA) for Singapore on December 14 with 151 passengers onboard. It was first delayed due to severe winter weather and a temporary runway closure for de-icing.

The flight was rescheduled to December 15 but faced additional delays due to problems with the airport's baggage handling system and a technical issue related to the Airbus A350-900's nose wheel.

SIA confirmed that passengers left the plane after the first delay. The airline provided meal vouchers and hotel accommodations for the night. They also helped passengers rebook flights when they could. The flight finally took off on December 16 and reached Singapore on December 17.

In another case, 229 passengers faced delays due to a technical issue with the Flight SQ391 from Istanbul to Singapore, which had flap. The flight was originally scheduled to leave on December 12 but was rescheduled multiple times before finally departing on December 12 and arriving later that same day.

Passengers expressed frustration with the long waits and difficulties communicating during the delays. The airline apologized and emphasized that safety was its main concern during the disruptions.