IndiGo passengers travelling between New Delhi, Mumbai, and Turkey endured chaos and frustration as flights connecting Istanbul faced operational delays, leaving around 400 travellers stranded for over 24 hours. The delays affected multiple flights, sparking outrage among fliers who criticized the airline for poor communication and inadequate assistance.
In a statement addressing the situation, IndiGo apologized for the inconvenience caused to its customers. “We are aware of the delays on the IndiGo flight connections to Istanbul. We accord the highest priority towards customer convenience, and our teams are available at all contact points to assist customers. IndiGo apologizes for the inconvenience caused to the customers,” the airline said.
Stranded Passengers Voice Anger Online
Passengers took to social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn to express their grievances, alleging that IndiGo failed to provide basic support during the ordeal.
Anushri Bhansali, one of the passengers, described her experience as harrowing. “The flight was delayed twice by an hour, then cancelled and finally rescheduled 12 hours later,” she shared. Stranded at Istanbul airport with exhaustion and fever, she noted that passengers were neither given accommodation nor meal vouchers. Moreover, no IndiGo representatives were present to assist them.
Another passenger, Rohan Raja, recounted his struggles after a 6:40 AM flight from Delhi was cancelled. “Amid the chilly weather, people were left to fend for themselves as the airline allegedly provided no transport to the accommodations they claimed to arrange,” Raja wrote.
Chaos and Poor Communication Highlighted
Scheduled to travel to Mumbai, Parshwa Mehta faced similar challenges when his 8:15 PM flight was delayed to 11 PM and then rescheduled for 10 AM the next day. He alleged that passengers received updates not from IndiGo but from Turkish Airlines crew members.
“We were told we’d get lounge access at Istanbul airport as compensation. But the lounge was far too small to accommodate the huge number of stranded passengers. Many of us were left standing for hours without proper facilities,” Mehta posted on X. He added that no alternative flights were arranged, and the airline failed to provide clear communication or reparation plans.
Mehta criticized IndiGo’s handling of the situation as a “blatant failure of basic customer service” and demanded both an apology and fair compensation for all affected passengers.
Reputation at Stake
The incident comes on the heels of IndiGo’s poor performance in the AirHelp Score Report 2024, which ranked the airline 103rd among 109 global carriers, placing it among the world’s worst airlines. By contrast, Air India ranked 61st, and AirAsia was listed at 94th.
The Istanbul debacle has only added to growing concerns about IndiGo’s ability to manage customer service during disruptions, tarnishing the reputation of one of India’s largest airlines. Passengers are now awaiting action from the airline to address their grievances and prevent such incidents in the future.