Passengers aboard an IndiGo flight from Goa to Delhi experienced significant delays, leading to an unconventional dining experience on the Mumbai airport runway. The incident, which occurred on January 14, saw the 6E2195 flight, originally scheduled for a 9:15 am departure, taking off much later in the evening. Frustrated by the prolonged delay, passengers resorted to having dinner on the tarmac while eagerly awaiting updates from the airline.
A video capturing the unique situation went viral on social media, with users expressing discontent over the 18-hour delay and the subsequent diversion to Mumbai. IndiGo faced criticism reminiscent of another airline, with one user likening it to SpiceJet. The flight eventually landed in Mumbai at 05:12 am on Monday.
In response to the backlash, IndiGo issued a statement attributing the delay to “operational reasons” beyond the airline’s control. Expressing regret for the inconvenience caused, the airline assured passengers that disrupting travel plans was never their intention.
A separate video revealed passengers engaging in heated exchanges with ground staff over the prolonged delay. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport clarified that unfavorable weather conditions in Delhi were responsible for the delay. As tensions rose, passengers refused to board the airline coach, leading to a safety zone setup by airport operators in collaboration with the Central Industrial Security Force Quick Response Team.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi took a dig at IndiGo, sarcastically referring to the incident as a “unique location dining experience.” She expressed hope that passengers wouldn’t face additional service charges for this unexpected scenario.
This is not the first time IndiGo has faced criticism for flight delays. A previous incident involving a physical altercation between a passenger, Sahil Kataria, and pilot Captain Anup Kumar garnered attention. Calls on social media for Kataria to be declared an unruly passenger and placed on the no-fly list followed this disruptive episode.
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