Indigo Fliers Eat Food On Mumbai Airport Tarmac After 12-Hour Flight Delay | Watch Viral Video

Dense fog in the northern part of India, especially Delhi, has adversely affected flight operations, leaving passengers waiting for hours at the airport.

A video went viral on X, formerly Twitter in which passengers can be seen eating and sitting on the airport tarmac at Mumbai airport in the night after their Delhi-bound IndiGo flight was diverted to the city.

Passengers boarded flight number 6E 2195 from Goa to Delhi on Sunday. However, the flight was diverted to Mumbai due to dense fog at Delhi airport.

“We are aware of the incident involving IndiGo flight 6E2195 from Goa to Delhi on January 14, 2024. The flight was diverted to Mumbai due to low visibility conditions in Delhi. We sincerely apologise to our customers and are currently looking into the incident,” IndiGo said in a statement.

According to aviation website Flightradar24, at least 313 flights leaving Delhi were delayed and 82 flights were cancelled on Monday.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport said, “Indigo 6E 2195 (Goa to Delhi) was diverted due to unfavourable weather conditions. As the flight was already significantly delayed in Goa, passengers were irate and rushed out of the aircraft as soon as the step ladder was connected. The airport operators in coordination with CISF QRT cordoned off the passengers into a safety zone as passengers refused to get into the airline coach and proceed to the Terminal Building. Passengers were kept under the strict watch of the airline authorities and security until further actions were taken.”

Earlier in the day, a passenger aboard an IndiGo flight physically assaulted the aircraft’s pilot who was making a delay announcement. A video of the incident is going viral on social media with several users slamming the passenger for physical assault.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said incidences of unruly behaviour are “unacceptable, and will be dealt with strongly in line with the existing legal provisions”.

Publish Real-time Flight Delay Info, Inform Passengers: DGCA Issues SOP to Airlines

In the wake of massive flight cancellations and delays at various airports including the Delhi airport due to the fog and adverse weather conditions, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DCGA) issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the airlines.

The aviation watchdog said that airlines should publish accurate real-time information regarding delays in their flights. There should also be appropriate sensitisation of the airline staff at the airports to suitably communicate with and continuously guide and inform the passengers about flight delays.

As per SOP, airlines shall be required to publish accurate real-time information regarding delays of their flights, which shall be published on the respective website of the airline and through advance information to affected passengers by SMS/ WhatsApp and email.

Airlines have also been asked to display of updated information regarding flight delays to passengers waiting at the airports.