Pilot refuses to operate Pune-Bengaluru flight in viral video, IndiGo responds

An IndiGo flight from Pune to Bengaluru faced a five-hour delay on September 24 after the pilot refused to fly, stating that his duty hours had ended. The incident came into the spotlight after a video posted by a user on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) went viral, showing frustrated passengers confronting both the pilot and the airline crew about the delay.

In the video, one of the passengers can be heard requesting the pilot to step out and explain the reason for the long delay. In response, the pilot closes the cockpit door, which leaves the passengers even more upset. A woman in the video comments, “So this is how they close the door because they have no answer,” expressing her frustration over the lack of communication from the airline.

 

 

Ayush Kumar, who shared the video online, wrote: “IndiGo flight 6E from Pune to Bengaluru delayed for 5 hours after the pilot refused to take off due to his work hours ending. Passengers were left stranded with no refreshments, no compensation. Absolute disregard for customer service. How can this be allowed?” His post quickly gained attention, with many people criticizing the airline for not handling the situation properly.

As the video continued to spread on social media, IndiGo issued a statement to explain the situation. The airline clarified that the delay was due to "operational reasons" linked to flight duty time limitations, which are rules that prevent pilots from flying beyond a certain number of hours for safety reasons.

The airline said, "Flight 6E 361 scheduled to operate from Pune to Bengaluru on September 24, 2024, was delayed due to operational reasons related to flight duty time limitations. Customers were kept informed about the delay, and our team was available throughout to assist them. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."

This isn't the first time IndiGo has made headlines recently. Earlier in the week, another video went viral showing a group of passengers yelling at IndiGo ground staff at an airport, further stirring online discussions about the airline's customer service.

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