IndiGo Flight Delayed By 3 Hours After Pilot Learns About Grandmother's Death

Adverse weather conditions and dense fog have led to delays in several flights, including those operated by IndiGo Airlines. A recent incident occurred at Patna airport, where an IndiGo flight scheduled to transport 162 passengers to Pune faced a three-hour delay. This unexpected setback was caused when the pilot, who was about to board the aircraft, received the unfortunate news of his grandmother’s sudden demise. Understanding the pilot’s emotional state, he communicated to the airline officials that he was not mentally prepared to operate the flight. In response, IndiGo promptly brought the plane back to the parking bay, allowing other flights to proceed. Subsequently, a pilot from Delhi was arranged to take over, enabling the delayed flight to resume its journey.

In a conversation with Times Now, the airline team confirmed, “The first officer had received information of the sudden demise of grandmother. And getting the information, IndiGo arranged an alternate crew for this flight. Also, the passengers were served refreshments.”

Reports indicate that IndiGo flight 6E-126 had taxied out of the parking area, and the pilot was prepared for takeoff. However, following the pilot’s refusal to fly due to the unfortunate news of his grandmother’s demise, the airline promptly arranged an alternative crew for the same flight. Initially scheduled to depart from Patna’s Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport at 1:25 PM, the IndiGo flight to Pune eventually took off at 4:41 PM.

A passenger aboard the delayed flight expressed dissatisfaction and called out IndiGo for the inconvenience caused by the delay. The X user wrote, “Totally unprofessional manner by Indigo as it has delayed flight 6e126 and told that pilot is not available. This all has done after boarding is done. Boarding done at 1300 hours and now flight is going to take off by 1630 hours at Patna for Pune.”

The airline was quick to acknowledge the inconvenience caused to passengers due to ‘operational reasons.’

In a separate incident, an IndiGo flight initially set to travel from Goa to Delhi on January 14 encountered significant delays, eventually landing in Mumbai on January 15. Frustrated passengers chose to rest and have meals while seated on the tarmac beside the aircraft. The prolonged delay was exacerbated when a passenger reportedly assaulted the pilot, likely due to the extended wait.