The flight departed 12 minutes early, leaving six passengers at Bengaluru airport

In an unexpected turn of events, six passengers of IndiGo flight 6E 6162 traveling from Bengaluru to Mangaluru found themselves stranded at Kempegowda International Airport, left in a state of shock as the flight took off a staggering 12 minutes ahead of its designated departure time on a Friday afternoon. The incident has sparked a wave of controversy, leaving passengers and airline officials at odds over the interpretation of departure time.

Miscommunication Leads to Stranded Passengers

According to an account provided by one of the stranded passengers, the flight was initially scheduled to depart at 2.55 pm, a time they diligently adhered to. However, to their dismay, records retrieved from the airline’s website indicated that the flight had already departed at 2.43 pm, catching the passengers off guard. The travelers left bewildered and frustrated, staged a demonstration at the airport to highlight their plight.

Passengers Demand Accountability

Expressing their frustration, one of the stranded passengers, who happened to be a government official, expressed their disappointment in the handling of the situation. “The standard practice is for the airline to communicate any adjustments or delays in the flight schedule. In our situation, no such communication was received. “The official conveyed that we adhered to the airport’s schedule but the airline compelled us to endure a six-hour wait for the subsequent flight to Mangaluru.” Another passenger bemoaned, “This disruption has thrown our entire day’s agenda into disarray, causing us to arrive home well past 10 pm.”

Airline’s Perspective

Contrary to the passengers’ claims, an employee from IndiGo’s customer experience division refuted the allegations. The employee clarified that the flight had indeed pulled away from the gate at 2.43 pm, but the actual departure from the airport premises occurred at 2.57 pm. This discrepancy in interpretation hinges on the airline’s definition of departure time, which they assert refers to the moment when the aircraft is airborne.

Compensation and Resolution

In response to the stranded passengers’ predicament, IndiGo Airlines took measures to rectify the situation. The airline arranged for the accommodation of the affected passengers on the subsequent flight (6E-578) scheduled for 8.20 pm. However, even this flight faced a delay of thirty minutes, according to a report by the Times of India (ToI).

Fines and Precedents

This incident raises concerns over the transparency and communication between airlines and passengers regarding flight schedules. Interestingly, this is not the first time such an incident has occurred at Bengaluru Airport. Earlier, authorities fined Go First Airline (formerly known as GoAir) Rs 10 lakh for violating multiple air transport norms when they left behind 55 passengers at the same airport. Such incidents underscore the need for stricter adherence to departure schedules and better communication protocols between airlines and passengers.

The plight of the six passengers stranded at Kempegowda International Airport serves as a stark reminder of the challenges travelers may face due to miscommunication and differing interpretations of flight departure times. As airlines strive to improve customer experience and punctuality, incidents like these emphasize the importance of effective communication and transparent policies to prevent disruptions and ensure a smooth travel experience for all passengers.

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