IndiGo denies boarding to passenger after being put on a coach

A passenger seated on an IndiGo coach was denied boarding. The passenger had arrived late at the boarding gate.

An IndiGo passenger, who was already in a coach to take a Goa-bound flight at Hyderabad airport, was on Wednesday denied boarding, with the airline saying the incident happened due to an “inadvertent error” by its staff.

A passenger stands at an Indigo Airlines' counter waiting for a boarding pass at the Srinagar airport . (Reuters File/Photo for representational purpose only)

The passenger was to take the flight 6E-743 and IndiGo said he was late to reach the boarding gate. However, the airline staff allowed to take the coach to reach the aircraft.

Generally, in case of denial of boarding, the passenger concerned is informed about it at the boarding gate itself.

When contacted, IndiGo confirmed that it denied boarding to a passenger booked on the flight.

“While the passenger arrived late to the boarding gate, due to an inadvertent error by our boarding gate staff, the passenger was asked to board the coach and sent to the aircraft; however, the boarding was already completed by then,” it said in a statement.

According to the airline, the passenger was accommodated on a subsequent flight to Goa via Mumbai, without any charges.

A video clip showed a passenger complaining about being denied boarding even after getting into the coach to go to the aircraft and was also seen arguing with an IndiGo staff.

In the video clip, a lady and a child were also seen in the coach but queries put to IndiGo about their status and whether they were also denied boarding did not elicit any response.