IndiGo passenger criticises crew for ‘unprofessional behaviour’ during 5-hour flight delay. Airline reacts

Passenger criticised IndiGo over a 5-hour delay, poor service, and rude crew; airline responded but faced backlash.

IndiGo Airlines is under fire after a Kolkata-based passenger took to LinkedIn to express his disappointment with the airline’s handling of a delayed flight. Sharing a video of a heated exchange with the cabin crew, Ritham Bhattacharjee described the service as "appalling" and criticised the unprofessional behaviour of the staff.

Passenger slammed IndiGo for 5-hour delay. (LinkedIn/Ritham Bhattacharjee)

Five-hour delay without relief

Recounting his ordeal from January 6, Bhattacharjee revealed that his flight from Kolkata (CCU) to Chennai (MAA) was delayed by an unacceptable five hours. Passengers were kept inside the aircraft throughout the delay, with minimal compensation provided—a packet of chips and a cookie.

“The CCU-MAA flight was delayed by five hours. To add insult to injury, the compensation offered was a paltry packet of chips and a single cookie. Passengers were forced to remain seated inside the aircraft the entire time, which is simply unacceptable,” Bhattacharjee wrote.

Unprofessional behaviour sparks outrage

The return journey only compounded his frustration. Bhattacharjee accused the cabin crew of being “extremely uncooperative and rude.” Naming specific flight attendants, he added, “The attendants on both flights displayed unprofessional behaviour. Specifically, the team on the return flight was particularly uncooperative and rude.”

As a frequent flyer with the airline, Bhattacharjee expressed shock over this experience. “It seems that IndiGo’s focus on being a low-cost airline has come at the expense of customer satisfaction,” he remarked.

Watch the clip here:

IndiGo responds, but passenger remains unimpressed

IndiGo replied to Bhattacharjee’s post with a standard apology, stating, “This is not the kind of experience we’d like our customers to have. Please allow us some time to connect with you.”

Social media reacts

Bhattacharjee’s post quickly gained traction, prompting strong reactions from other users. One commenter empathised with his ordeal, calling the experience “outrageous.” Another criticised the airline’s lack of professionalism, stating, “Such poor service is unacceptable.” A user highlighted the broader issue of declining standards in low-cost carriers, while another remarked, “This seems to be the new normal with airlines prioritising cost-cutting over customer care.”