Airlines in India are often under fire from celebrities and public figures for disruption in flight services. Adding to the list is Shaadi.com CEO and Shark Tank judge Anupam Mittal who slammed IndiGo Airlines for “inhumane” treatment of passengers. He criticised the airline for the gap in services after facing two flight delays. At the time, he was travelling from Delhi to Mumbai when the incident occurred.
Describing the incident he informed that the Delhi-Mumbai flight of the Indian airline was delayed for over 45 minutes. During this time, the passengers were left stranded in the aircraft on the tarmac. He blamed that the passengers were made to sit in the plane so that the airline could cut costs. Additionally, Mittal’s Mumbai to Delhi flight was delayed by over 2 hours. Even after that, the passengers were not offered a refund.
In his post on X, Anupam Mittal said, “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.”
kya ho gaya tumko @IndiGo6E Mum-Delhi > 45 minute delay on tarmac without AC 🤯 so u can keep costs down. Del-Mum > 2 hr delay but will not refund the ticket 😡 @DGCAIndia this is inhumane & should be made illegal
— Anupam Mittal (@AnupamMittal) February 7, 2024
In his post, he also tagged the Indian aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Anupam Mittal’s post has gained traction on social media and has received over 314 thousand views on the micro-blogging site.
IndiGo Replies To Anupam Mittal
The post got IndiGo’s attention and the airline responded with an apology. They also stated that the Mumbai-Delhi flight delay was because of a medical emergency.
The airline said, “Mr Mittal, we extend our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience caused by the delay of your morning flight from Mumbai, which was inadvertently delayed by 30 minutes due to unforeseen traffic congestion.”
They added, “Additionally, we regret to inform you that the delay on the Delhi-Mumbai route resulted from an unexpected medical emergency on the incoming flight. Please rest assured that we understand the importance of your time and the impact such delays can have on your travel plans.”
IndiGo is the India’s largest airline with close to 60 percent market share, but was under scrutiny recently for multiple flight delays. BCAS and DGCA recently fined the airline Rs 1.2 crore for making the passengers sit on tarmac at the Mumbai International Airport after the plane was diverted from Goa.