In a recent incident, Anupam Mittal, the CEO of Shaadi.com, took to social media platform X on February 8 to criticize IndiGo for what he described as “inhumane” treatment of passengers. Mittal recounted his personal experiences of significant delays on two separate flights operated by IndiGo.
Mittal revealed that his flight from Delhi to Mumbai was subjected to a delay of over 45 minutes while being held on the tarmac. He expressed frustration at passengers being forced to endure the delay inside the aircraft without air conditioning, purportedly as a cost-saving measure. Similarly, his return flight from Mumbai to Delhi encountered a delay exceeding 2 hours, for which he claimed no refund offer was provided, further exacerbating his dissatisfaction.
In a social media post addressing IndiGo, Mittal questioned the airline’s practices, stating, “Kya ho gaya tumko IndiGo. Mum-Delhi > 45-minute delay on the tarmac without AC so u can keep costs down. Del-Mum > 2 hr delay but will not refund the ticket. DGCA this is inhumane and should be made illegal.”
IndiGo responded to Shaadi.com CEO Mittal’s grievances, extending their apologies for the inconvenience caused by the delay of his Mumbai flight, attributing it to unforeseen traffic congestion. They further explained that the delay on the Delhi-Mumbai route resulted from an unexpected medical emergency on the incoming flight. While expressing regret for the inconvenience caused, IndiGo assured Mittal of their understanding of the importance of passengers’ time and the impact of such delays on travel plans.
This incident comes amid a backdrop of escalating dissatisfaction among passengers regarding IndiGo’s service standards. On January 31, passengers staged a protest at Delhi airport after their Deoghar-bound flight was cancelled at Terminal 2, sparking outrage among travelers. Such incidents have become recurrent, prompting regulatory action by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which imposed fines on both IndiGo and Mumbai Airport in response to passenger grievances.
These developments underscore growing concerns over airline accountability and passenger rights in India’s aviation sector. As travelers demand improved service quality and adherence to safety standards, airlines face heightened scrutiny to address operational challenges and ensure a satisfactory travel experience for passengers.