The event for travellers, an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Doha, flight number 6E 1303, was delayed by a staggering 17 hours due to an unforeseen technical snag. The flight, originally scheduled to depart from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at 3:55 AM on Sunday, eventually took off around 9:30 PM, leaving passengers grappling with frustration and fatigue. The issue began early Sunday morning when passengers were boarded onto the aircraft as per schedule.
However, to their dismay, they were held inside the aircraft for nearly five hours without clear communication about the situation. The air conditioning system on the ground was insufficient, exacerbating the discomfort for those onboard. After prolonged waiting, the passengers were finally deboarded and provided with refreshments. IndiGo’s team, addressing the situation, facilitated hotel accommodations for those who needed them and provided rebooking options for passengers based on their final destination.
IndiGo, in a statement released during the delay, assured, “Our airport team has been working diligently to assist affected customers, providing hotel accommodations and necessary arrangements to ensure their safety and comfort.” While technical issues are a reality for airlines, such long delays raise questions about passenger experience management. With passengers stranded for over 17 hours, this instance highlights the need for better real-time communication and operational support to ease the discomfort in situations like these. According to aviation experts, such extended delays can have severe repercussions for passengers, especially for international connections and work commitments.
In 2022 alone, domestic flights in India experienced an average delay of 30-40 minutes, but a 17-hour delay is an outlier, marking one of the longest delays in recent memory for IndiGo, India’s largest carrier by market share. As air travel recovers post-pandemic, such instances can dent consumer confidence, making customer service and communication essential touchpoints for airlines to maintain their reputation. For passengers on flight 6E 1303, the ordeal came to a close late Sunday evening, but the memory of waiting nearly a full day for a resolution remains. The incident serves as a reminder for airlines to enhance both operational efficiency and passenger communication.
