Thousands of passengers on IndiGo’s Istanbul-India route are facing extended disruptions due to technical issues, leaving hundreds stranded in Istanbul over the past two days. The airline announced it would deploy a relief aircraft to address the crisis, with efforts underway to bring affected passengers back to India within the next 20 hours.
IndiGo canceled two key flights—6E12 from Istanbul to Delhi and Istanbul to Mumbai—without arranging alternative travel or accommodations for passengers. The Theorist had earlier reported how the cancellations, coupled with delays in other flights on the same sector, have caused further chaos as many passengers reportedly missed onward connections with Turkish Airlines, with whom IndiGo shares a codeshare agreement.
Chaos at Istanbul airport due to indigo flight grounded for more than 2 days. More than 800 people are stuck. @MoCA_GoI @narendramodi @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/2IUHKpJ9uQ
— Jitendra Rai (@ait_jitendra) December 13, 2024
Passengers voiced frustration over inadequate communication and delays in receiving assistance. While IndiGo stated that accommodations were provided—either in airport lounges or hotels for those with valid e-visas—several travelers reported being left without clarity or proper facilities.
Relief Aircraft and Embassy Support
In a bid to resolve the situation, IndiGo is sending a relief aircraft to Istanbul. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Istanbul has stepped in, working with the airline and stranded passengers to provide temporary arrangements, including lounge access, food, and stay accommodations.
IndiGo operates Boeing 777 aircraft on the Istanbul-India route, which can seat over 500 passengers per flight. The cancellations and delays have left a significant number of passengers inconvenienced, further adding to IndiGo’s operational challenges.
IndiGo’s Global Ranking Under Scrutiny
This incident comes on the heels of the AirHelp Score Report 2024, which ranked IndiGo among the worst airlines globally, placing it at 103rd out of 109 airlines analyzed. By comparison, Air India was ranked 61st, and AirAsia secured the 94th spot.
Adding to IndiGo’s woes, a separate incident occurred when a New Delhi-to-Jeddah flight had to make an emergency landing at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan. The diversion was necessitated by a medical emergency onboard involving a male passenger. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources confirmed that the passenger became critically ill while the aircraft was in Pakistani airspace.
Passengers Demand Accountability
The ongoing issues have raised concerns about IndiGo’s operational efficiency and passenger support during crises. Passengers have called for better contingency planning and improved communication, especially in light of the airline’s recent poor global ranking.
As IndiGo works to restore normalcy and resolve these disruptions, the focus remains on providing timely assistance to affected passengers and preventing similar issues in the future.
