Six passengers of a Chennai-bound IndiGo flight were “tricked” into getting off the aircraft at Bengaluru airport over what they alleged was the airliner’s unwillingness to fly to the destination with only six on board.
The incident took place at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) at around 9.30 pm on Sunday after landing of IndiGo flight 6E478 that took off from Amritsar and was going to Chennai via Bengaluru, a Times of India report said.
What Exactly Happened
“Six passengers, including I, were seated in the plane on the Bengaluru tarmac when I received a call on my mobile phone from an IndiGo ground crew member asking me to get off the flight as he was waiting for me inside the airport with my boarding pass for another flight, ready to depart to Chennai,” the report quoted a flyer as saying.
The other five passengers also received similar phone calls and got off the plane, the report mentioned.
To make it simpler, the passengers claim they were promised by IndiGo that they will be put on an alternative flight that was ready to depart, however, they were deceived because the airline allegedly did not want to fly with only six on board.
With no other flight to Chennai that night, all six were forced to stay overnight in the city and fly out on Monday.
IndiGo sources at Bengaluru airport confirmed the incident, saying that two passengers were lodged in a hotel 13 km from the airport for the night, while others decided to stay at the airport lounge. “All were accommodated on flights on Monday morning and flown to Chennai,” the report quoted an airline official as saying.
What IndiGo Has To Say On The Incident
IndiGo issued a statement on the incident and said, “On November 19, 2023 flight 6E 478 was operating from Amritsar to Chennai via Bengaluru with eight transit passengers on board. Due to the delay of the incoming aircraft from Amritsar, these passengers were unable to board the onward flight to Chennai at the Bengaluru Airport.”
“IndiGo ground staff made every possible effort to help passengers make the connection, but due to lack of time, they were unable to board the aircraft. IndiGo staff offered the passengers overnight accommodation and booking on the next available flight but certain passengers chose to stay at the airport lounge. We deeply apologise for the inconvenience caused to the passengers,” the airline said.
The passengers, however, are seeking action over the inconvenience faced by them by the “blatant lying” by the IndiGo staffers, and want action for the inconvenience they faced.
The six passengers did track down the IndiGo staffer who had asked them to deboard the plane. They argued with the staffer, who offered no assistance, claimed a passenger.
“IndiGo’s assistant manager at the airport, Lloyd Pinto, came, but he too acted cold, with no sympathy for even the elderly passengers who were stranded. Finally, after admitting it was their fault, they had the audacity to deny us an airport hotel, saying we were not eligible,” another passenger was quoted as saying in the report.
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