Over 200 passengers aboard an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Singapore were left waiting inside the aircraft for nearly five hours on Tuesday far longer than the actual flight duration triggering widespread frustration and a viral video showing heated confrontations with airline staff.
IndiGo confirmed in an official statement that flight 6E 1025 was asked to return to the bay following the detection of a minor technical issue. During the inspection and maintenance process, the operating cockpit crew exceeded the permitted flight duty time limits, making a crew change unavoidable and leading to further delays. “We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers and did our best to minimise it by offering refreshments and sharing timely updates. At IndiGo, the safety of our customers and crew is our top priority,” the airline said.
The aircraft departed only after an alternate crew was deployed. However, passengers described a starkly different experience on social media. A short video that circulated widely captured several travellers alleging that no clear explanation was given for the prolonged wait, with some demanding to know how much longer they would have to remain on board and others asking about the whereabouts of the pilot.
Flight 6E 1025 was originally scheduled to depart at 7:30 am, with boarding beginning an hour earlier. Despite passengers being seated well ahead of the departure time, the aircraft remained grounded for hours. Infants, elderly passengers, and working professionals were among those stuck on board. According to a report by The Times of India, passengers who requested to disembark due to discomfort were not permitted to do so for a significant stretch of the wait.
Passengers also claimed that the original pilot left the aircraft midway through the delay citing duty-hour restrictions, and that a replacement pilot arrived only around 11 am, per the same report. The flight eventually took off close to noon.
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