David Warner Slams Air India Over Flight Delay Due to Missing Pilots

Former Australian cricketer David Warner criticized Air India after boarding a flight that lacked a pilot, at the Bengaluru airport leading to a significant delay.

On March 22, 2025, Warner took to social media to express his frustration, stating, “We’ve boarded a plane with no pilots and waiting on the plane for hours. Why would you board passengers knowing that you have no pilots for the flight?”

Air India responded by attributing the delay to adverse weather conditions in Bengaluru, which caused widespread flight diversions and delays.

The airline explained that the crew assigned to Warner’s flight was delayed due to an earlier assignment impacted by these disruptions.

Despite the inconvenience, Air India acknowledged the situation and thanked Warner for his patience.

Air India responded: Dear Mr. Warner, today’s challenging weather in Bengaluru caused diversions and delays across all airlines. The crew operating your flight was held up on an earlier assignment affected by these disruptions, which led to a delay in departure. We appreciate your patience and thank— Air India (@airindia) March 22, 2025

Warner isn’t a part of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 after going unsold in the mega auction last year in Jeddah. Warner is among the four batters in the history of the IPL to score 6000 or more runs, along with Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma.

Warner, who retired from international cricket after the T20 World Cup 2024, will play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) starting April 11.