Over 200 passengers stuck on IndiGo flight at Chennai airport for 5 hours

Over 200 passengers on IndiGo flight 6E1025 from Chennai to Singapore faced a five-hour delay onboard, leading to frustration and viral social media posts.

Over 200 passengers on an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Singapore were made to stay seated inside the aircraft for nearly five hours on Tuesday, far exceeding the actual flight time, sparking widespread frustration and a viral video capturing heated exchanges with airline staff.

While the airline cited a technical issue and crew duty limitations, many passengers felt left in the dark during the ordeal, as per social media posts. (PTI)

An IndiGo statement said flight 6E 1025 was required to return to the bay after a minor technical issue was detected. During the inspection and maintenance process, the operating cockpit crew crossed the permitted flight duty time limits, making a crew change mandatory and resulting in additional delay. “We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers and did our best to minimise it by offering refreshments and sharing timely update. At IndiGo, the safety of our customers and crew is our top priority,” the statement added.

The aircraft eventually departed only after an alternate crew was deployed. Passengers, however, painted a different picture on social media. In a short video that circulated widely, several travellers were heard alleging that no clear reason was communicated for the prolonged wait. Some asked how long they would have to wait and other inquired about the pilot.

The flight, numbered 6E1025, was scheduled to take off at 7:30 am, with boarding beginning an hour earlier. Despite passengers being seated well before departure time, the aircraft remained grounded for hours. Infants, elderly passengers and working professionals were all stuck onboard, and those who asked to disembark due to discomfort were not allowed to do so for a long stretch, reported The Times of India.

Passengers also claimed that the original pilot exited the aircraft midway through the delay citing duty-hour restrictions, and that a replacement pilot arrived around 11 am, as per the report. The flight finally took off close to noon.