Over 100 passengers traveling to Goa on an IndiGo flight on Monday faced a nearly seven-hour ordeal, first inside the aircraft and later at the airport, after the plane returned to the bay while taxiing due to a technical issue.
Flight Details
The flight, 6E-6944, was scheduled to depart from Pune at 5:25 AM and arrive in Goa at 6:30 AM. It finally took off at 12:30 PM, leaving passengers frustrated and their plans disrupted.
Passenger Account
Rajesh Shetty, a resident of Baner, told reporters that he had carefully planned his day around the early morning flight. “My plan was to reach Goa early, rest for a while, and then head out for client meetings. I reached the airport around 3 AM, and ground staff said the flight was on time. Boarding began soon and was completed by 5 AM. The aircraft started taxiing but soon stopped, turned back, and returned to the bay. The pilot announced a technical issue,” Shetty said.
Passengers remained inside the aircraft from 5:15 AM to nearly 7:30 AM with little information. “Ground staff only said engineers were trying to fix the issue. There was hardly any communication. Many of us hoped the problem would be resolved soon. But around 7:30 AM, we were asked to disembark. When we asked why, we were told the technical issue would take more time,” he added.
Airline Statement
An airline spokesperson confirmed the problem. “A technical snag was noticed before take-off on the aircraft operating IndiGo flight 6E-6944 from Pune International Airport to Manohar International Airport, Goa. The aircraft returned to the parking bay, and while undergoing necessary checks, an alternate aircraft was arranged. We regret the inconvenience and made every effort to minimize it by offering refreshments and sharing regular updates,” the spokesperson said.
Frustration Among Passengers
Another passenger, who requested anonymity, expressed frustration: “I had only two days off and planned to spend the morning at the beach before the heat became unbearable. Losing an entire day is extremely frustrating.”
Passengers were later escorted back to the terminal and asked to wait. “After some time, refreshments were served, but many were upset. About an hour later, airline staff informed us that the flight would now depart at 12:30 PM due to a NOTAM at the airport until 11:30 AM. We completed security checks again and returned to the SHA. The flight finally departed at 12:30 PM and landed in Goa around 1:30 PM. My entire schedule was thrown off track,” Shetty said.
