IndiGo Pilot Refuses to Fly, Delays Flight for 5 Hours: Passengers Express Frustration

IndiGo pilot refused to fly due to duty hours

An IndiGo flight traveling from Pune to Bengaluru experienced a five-hour delay after the pilot refused to operate the aircraft, reportedly stating that his duty hours had concluded. Initially scheduled to depart at 12:45 am, the flight eventually took off at 5:44 am and landed in Bengaluru at 6:49 am.

Avishek Goyal, a user on X (formerly Twitter), shared a video from inside the aircraft with the caption, “IndiGo flight was delayed for 5 hours after the pilot declined to take off due to his working hours ending.”

He remarked, “The frustration of the passengers is evident. But why solely blame the pilot?”

“Put the blame on the company, not the crew. IndiGo has turned into a joke,” he concluded.

The video begins with a crew member requesting her colleague to contact the pilot. As it continues, the camera shifts to capture the irritated passengers.

“I think you should mature. Sir, can you come out?” a frustrated passenger is heard saying as the pilot enters the cockpit and closes the door.

Another passenger comments, “This is how they shut the door when they have no answers.” Additionally, one person is heard suggesting they go live on social media to share their predicament.

IndiGo Pilot Refuses to Fly: An IndiGo flight was delayed for five hours after the pilot refused to take off, citing the end of his work hours. The frustration of the passengers was clearly visible. However, why should only the pilot be blamed?

“Blame the company, not the crew. IndiGo has turned into a joke,” Avishek Goyal wrote, sharing a video on X.

Another user on X stated that the stranded passengers did not receive any “refreshments” or “compensation,” labeling it as “an absolute disregard for customer service.” Ayush Kumar also questioned the airline, asking, “How can this be permitted?”

IndiGo Pilot Refuses to Fly:  In response to the criticism aimed at the IndiGo pilot for refusing to take off, Sanjay Lazar, an aviation veteran, clarified that the working hours for both pilots and crew are globally regulated to ensure passenger safety. He noted, “This isn’t like a factory where employees can clock in and out at will. Pilots cannot exceed their duty limits, as doing so can result in penalties from the DGCA, including consequences for their license. Additionally, unauthorized extensions of Flight Duty Time Limits (FDTL) can void flight insurance for both the airline and passengers.”

Lazar emphasized, “For the sake of flight safety, the pilot knows what he is doing; please allow him to act accordingly. He is not the one responsible for the delay!”

IndiGo Pilot Refuses to Fly:  While IndiGo confirmed the flight delay, it attributed the five-hour setback to “operational reasons related to flight duty time limitations.” The Haryana-based low-cost airline also expressed its apologies to passengers for the inconvenience caused.

In a statement, IndiGo noted, “Flight 6E 361, which was scheduled to fly from Pune to Bengaluru on September 24, 2024, was delayed due to operational factors concerning flight duty time limitations. We kept customers informed about the delay and ensured our team was available to assist them throughout the duration. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”