Delhi: Disgruntled passengers protested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Wednesday when an IndiGo aircraft to Deoghar, Jharkhand, was abruptly cancelled. This led to chaos at the airport.
Hundreds of angry and stranded customers were left by the surprise decision, which sparked a protest with slogans criticising the airline’s actions.
The events transpired after IndiGo declared the flight’s cancellation just before the scheduled departure time from IGI airport.
The airline abruptly cancelled the scheduled flight to Deoghar, citing unexplained operational concerns. This confused and frustrated the passengers, who had been looking forward to their trip.
Feeling duped and inconvenienced, irate passengers expressed their outrage by brandishing signs that said, “Indigo Chor Hai” (IndiGo is a thief), casting doubt on the airline’s decision-making process’s legality and transparency.
Due to an abrupt decrease in the weather near the Deogarh airport, IndiGo flight 6E 2198 from Delhi to Deogarh was cancelled on January 30 and January 31. Refreshments and choices for a full refund, different routes, or rescheduling were provided to passengers. The airline released a statement saying, “We apologise any inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond our control.
Recently, after passengers on a diverted flight were permitted to continue and enjoy refreshments on the apron and mingle with others while travelling to and from the nearby apron control building, the BCAS and DGCA fined IndiGo Airlines a total of Rs 1.2 crore and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) a fine of Rs 90 lakh.
IndiGo Airlines has been fined Rs 1.20 crore by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) has been fined Rs 60 lakh, and the Directorate of General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fined the airport authorities Rs 30 lakh.
The event occurred when, in the first week of January, aircraft 6E2195 from Goa to Delhi was diverted to Mumbai due to operational problems caused by low visibility in the capital. This prompted authorities to issue show cause notices to both the airline and the airport.
The footage, which has gone viral on social media, shows travellers sitting peacefully on the tarmac. Some are eating meals and snacks, while others are having informal talks.