Foreign Traveler Climbs IndiGo Counter in Protest as Flight Cancellations Strand Thousands Across India

Mumbai:

An exasperated foreign traveler was observed mounting an IndiGo airline counter at Mumbai Airport yesterday, demanding explanations for her flight cancellation amid widespread disruptions that have affected thousands of passengers nationwide over recent days.

During NDTV's live coverage, the unidentified woman was documented expressing her frustration with IndiGo's ground personnel before removing her shoes and climbing onto the service counter.

#Indigo Chaos | A foreigner loses her cool at the Mumbai Airport because of the ongoing crisis. @awasthiabhi11 shares details of what exactly are her demands pic.twitter.com/pLQysAU8vO

The woman claimed she had no change of clothes as all her possessions were in her checked luggage. She vocally demanded food provisions and attempted to rally fellow stranded passengers for support. Counter staff were seen trying to calm her and persuade her to descend from the counter.

Behind her stood a lengthy queue of passengers, less demonstrative but equally distressed about their travel predicaments. One passenger informed NDTV that eight members of his family were stranded with no clear instructions on next steps.

"We are eight people bound for Raipur. Our flight was suddenly cancelled. We are tense. We were told at the gate that our flight had been cancelled. Nothing else has been communicated to us. Where will the eight of us go now?" he expressed.

Similar incidents of passenger distress have occurred at airports throughout India.

In Ahmedabad, a female passenger became emotional when her delayed flight prevented her team from participating in a scheduled hackathon in Guwahati. "Our hard work of seven months is now wasted. We are returning home. Such opportunities are rare," one of her teammates told news agency ANI.

More than one hundred flights have been cancelled at Delhi and Mumbai airports since morning as the crisis entered its fifth day.

The operational disruption stems from pilot and crew shortages resulting from new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) regulations that require extended rest periods for staff. IndiGo has acknowledged misjudging the pilot requirements under these new FDTL guidelines.

The government has temporarily suspended the FDTL directive, anticipating normal operations will resume within three days. Officials have also initiated a high-level investigation into the crisis.