ai-avatar and flashtalk models stuck IN_QUEUE indefinitely (2026-05-15)

[sleepingexpertlt-png]

Problem

Model: fal-ai/ai-avatar and fal-ai/flashtalk
Date: 2026-05-15 ~07:00-09:00 UTC
Status: Multiple requests submitted, all stuck at IN_QUEUE with queue_position: 0 for 15+ minutes each. Never progressed to IN_PROGRESS or COMPLETED.

Steps to reproduce

1. Submit a request to fal-ai/ai-avatar with valid image_url and audio_url
2. Poll status_url — returns IN_QUEUE indefinitely
3. Queue position stays at 0 permanently
4. Request never completes, never fails — just hangs

Impact

• 4 separate requests submitted (3× ai-avatar, 1× flashtalk), all stuck
• Credits charged? Unknown — usage API returns 403
• No error message, no timeout, no failure notification
• No way to distinguish 'model is loading' from 'model is broken'

Expected behavior

• Request should enter IN_PROGRESS within 60 seconds if model is available
• If model unavailable, should return an error rather than hanging indefinitely
• Status should reflect actual state (not IN_QUEUE forever)

Suggestion

• Add model health endpoint: GET /models/{model_id}/health → returns if model is currently serving
• Add maximum queue wait time with graceful failure message
• Expose model availability status in dashboard