Passengers aboard an IndiGo flight bound for Delhi from Ayodhya reportedly endured a distressing ordeal when the aircraft attempted to land twice at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport amidst adverse weather conditions. The incident occurred on April 13, involving flight 6E2702.
A passenger took to the microblogging site to describe the unsettling experience, stating that the pilot announced bad weather at Delhi Airport around 4:15 p.m. Despite carrying 45 minutes of holding fuel, the pilot’s attempts at landing were thwarted by the inclement weather, leading to prolonged uncertainty.
Subsequently, after two unsuccessful landing attempts, the pilot announced the diversion of the flight to Chandigarh Airport. The flight finally touched down in Chandigarh at 6:25 p.m., 115 minutes after the initial announcement regarding holding fuel. The passenger reported instances of panic-induced sickness among fellow passengers and crew during the ordeal.
Upon landing, passengers were alarmed to learn from the crew that the aircraft had only 1 or 2 minutes of fuel left, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The incident occurred amidst adverse weather conditions that led to the diversion of 22 flights at Delhi’s IGI Airport between 3:00 and 6:30 p.m. on the same day. Heavy rainfall in the national capital adversely affected flight operations, with multiple flights diverted to alternative airports including Jaipur, Lucknow, and Chandigarh.
The passenger has called for an inquiry by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to ascertain whether standard operating procedures (SOPs) were adhered to during the incident.
