The IndiGo flight, which was scheduled to land in Krabi at 10 am, reached the resort town at around 1 pm, according to Flightradar24.
Chaos erupts on Thailand-bound IndiGo flight as pilot refuses to fly beyond duty hours
Two flyers were deboarded for unruly behaviour after a Mumbai flight to Krabi was delayed for hours when pilot reportedly refused to fly beyond his shift timings
Chaotic scenes erupted aboard an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Krabi, Thailand, after the pilot reportedly declined to operate beyond his duty hours on Thursday. The flight, which was scheduled to fly out at 4.05 am, was reportedly delayed by more than three hours, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24.
This led to passengers creating a ruckus on board the Flight 6E 1085.
Frustrated passengers
A video from inside the aircraft showed passengers engaged in a heated exchange with cabin crew. Several fliers alleged that the pilot refused to continue, citing the end of his duty shift.
One frustrated passenger was heard shouting, “What about our plans we’ve made?” Another, visibly angry, lashed out at the crew, asking, Why is he f*** is he hiding like a f***ing rat?" the passenger as tensions escalated. The crew member appeared to be cornered by other fliers.
The video also showed a passenger kicking the exit door of the plane.
IndiGo response
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by Indigo, a spokesperson explained that the flight from Mumbai was delayed due to a “combination of factors, including the late arrival of the incoming aircraft, air traffic congestion, and crew duty time limitations.”
Also read: Indigo cancels 118 flights due to bad weather, operational reasons
The airline added that “two passengers behaved inappropriately during the extended wait and were declared unruly”. In line with protocol, they were deboarded and handed over to security agencies, which caused further delays.
IndiGo, which experienced widespread disruptions last month, also noted that meals and refreshments were provided multiple times to help ease the waiting period.
The IndiGo flight, which was scheduled to land in Krabi at 10 am, reached the resort town at around 1 pm, according to Flightradar24.