Tamil Nadu Minister Criticizes IndiGo for Flight Delays and Poor Service
Tamil Nadu Minister TRB Rajaa has strongly criticized IndiGo airlines for what he describes as "cheap treatment" of passengers. He voiced his frustration over significant delays experienced at Chennai Airport. Rajaa stated that IndiGo has become "the cheapest airline in all its sense" due to its handling of passenger comfort and time management.
Details of the Flight Delay Incident
Rajaa was scheduled to travel on IndiGo flight 6E 7191 from Chennai to Tiruchirappalli. The flight was supposed to depart at 9:10 AM on Makar Sankranti morning. However, passengers faced extensive delays from the pre-boarding stage through to takeoff. The minister highlighted that the airline failed to inform passengers about the delays in advance.
Many passengers woke up early on a smoggy Bhogi morning to reach the airport by 8 AM, only to discover the flight was delayed. The estimated time of departure was announced as 11 AM. Boarding started unexpectedly around 10 AM, providing brief relief to passengers. But the relief was short-lived.
Passenger Ordeal and Further Delays
Early boarding led to a bus ride around Chennai Airport to a remote bay, often referred to as the "graveyard bay." This bay is typically assigned to the last ATRs of the day or, in this case, to what Rajaa called the cheapest airline in the nation. He emphasized that a low-cost airline should not equate to cheap treatment of passengers.
Even after boarding the bus to the tarmac, the wait continued. Passengers stood inside the bus for nearly 20 minutes before learning the reason for the delay. They were waiting for passengers from a connecting flight who had not yet arrived.
The bus ride to the bay took about 30 minutes. Finally, after boarding the aircraft around 10:50 AM, passengers discovered they had to wait for more passengers from other aircraft. Rajaa expressed disappointment that IndiGo still depends on the arrival of several other aircraft to run its service, despite recent issues.
Broader Passenger Complaints and Refund Issues
IndiGo has been facing flight cancellations since November, partly due to poor visibility. Passengers are increasingly taking to social media to complain about delays and cancellations. Many report that third-party aggregators are slow to process refunds for cancelled flights and even charge fees for flights cancelled by the airlines.
One user, Sanhita Agarwal, claimed to have lost Rs 40,000 in pre-paid hotel bookings due to IndiGo's flight cancellations. She stated that a partial ticket refund does not constitute adequate compensation. Another user, Ankit Jethaliya, highlighted difficulties in receiving proper responses from the airline regarding DGCA-mandated compensation for flight cancellations.
Rajaa tagged Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu in his posts, expressing hope for better oversight and improvements in passenger treatment. The incident underscores ongoing challenges for IndiGo as it navigates operational hurdles and passenger dissatisfaction.
