100 passengers protest after IndiGo delays flight to Istanbul for over 16 hours at Mumbai airport

A major disruption occurred at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday as an IndiGo flight to Istanbul, scheduled to depart at 6:55 am, was delayed for more than 16 hours due to a technical issue. Flight 6E17, which faced multiple postponements, was eventually cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded at the airport.

The airline informed passengers that an alternate flight had been arranged to depart at 11 pm, offering full refunds and apologising for the inconvenience caused. IndiGo’s statement addressed the issue, stating, "We regret that our flight 6E17, originally scheduled to operate from Mumbai to Istanbul, faced a delay due to technical issues. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to rectify the issue and dispatch it to the destination, we eventually had to cancel the flight."



The delay began early in the morning when passengers were informed that their flight would not depart at the scheduled time of 6:55 am. As the morning passed, the flight's departure was postponed several times, with passengers reportedly boarding and deboarding the plane multiple times. The flight was finally rescheduled to leave at 11 pm, causing frustration and confusion among passengers.

Despite efforts to resolve the technical glitch, IndiGo ultimately cancelled the flight, citing the issue as the reason. "An alternate aircraft has been arranged and is now scheduled to depart at 11 pm. We want to assure our customers that their safety and comfort remain our top priorities," IndiGo added.

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As the hours stretched on, many passengers took to social media to express their anger at the lack of communication and support from the airline. One Twitter user, Sonam Saigal, shared her frustration, saying, "My brother has been stuck at Mumbai International Airport for more than 12 hours due to extremely unprofessional behaviour by @IndiGo6E and their staff. He had a flight to Istanbul which first got delayed, then he was made to board and de-board again twice!!"


Passengers also complained about the lack of basic amenities during the prolonged wait. "There are 500 passengers who have been scammed by continuous delays and eventual cancellation. All passengers have not been served any food or water. There is no representative from IndiGo willing to listen to grievances," one user wrote.

Some passengers highlighted the inconvenience caused to students, with one person posting: "Mumbai to Istanbul journey suspended after 10 hours waiting by passengers. Information that there are around 100 passengers in this journey and the number of students is large. Kids are crying at the airport, no resolution from authorities."

As frustration grew, several passengers staged a protest at the airport, demanding either a refund or alternate flight arrangements. Passengers expressed concerns about missing connecting flights, especially those with onward connections from Istanbul, and accused the airline of poor customer service.

One passenger, Sachin Chintalwad, voiced his frustration on social media, saying, "Dear IndiGo this is not fair... Now it's 5 hr. delay for 6E 17 from Mumbai to Istanbul. And I have a connecting flight from Istanbul to IAD Washington and I'm going to miss that."

Another passenger, Biresh Kumar Singh, also expressed dissatisfaction with IndiGo's handling of the situation: "Flight to Istanbul 6E17 scheduled for 6:55 AM yet to take off from Mumbai. Passengers being moved from an aerobridge to waiting area; staff clueless on what's happening and when will the flight take off - pathetic service, taking passengers for granted."

In response to the widespread anger, IndiGo issued a statement offering an apology for the inconvenience caused. "While our teams are working hard to provide support to our affected customers, by keeping them informed, arranging welfare measures such as accommodation, meal vouchers, and full refunds, we know that no amount of effort can fully undo the inconvenience caused," the airline said.

IndiGo also reiterated its commitment to passengers’ well-being, stating, "We want to assure our customers that their safety and comfort remain our top priorities."

The airline confirmed that the alternative flight would depart at 11 pm, with passengers receiving necessary assistance, including refunds for the cancelled flight.