Passengers aboard IndiGo flight 6E 5028 from Mumbai to Varanasi endured a tense ordeal after a technical issue delayed take-off by more than two hours. Scheduled for an earlier departure, the plane only left at 9:53 PM and landed in Varanasi at 11:40 PM, with 176 passengers on board left waiting amid growing anxiety.
According to reports, the safety issue emerged just before takeoff, requiring urgent checks while travelers were kept seated inside the aircraft. Video clips from the scene show nervous passengers confronting crew members, voicing safety concerns. One flyer filmed the situation, but a flight attendant told him recording wasn’t allowed. His reply captured the mood on board: “Does our life have no value?”
In another widely shared clip, an air hostess was seen folding her hands and pleading with a frustrated passenger to sit down. Though intended to defuse the situation, this gesture seemed to add to passengers’ anger. Many wondered why they were allowed to board if technical checks were still pending. With public trust in air safety shaken after recent accidents like the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people, tensions were high.
Eventually, the pilot, Captain Urvashi, addressed the cabin to confirm all systems were safe. Her calm explanation brought some relief, but the delay raised serious questions about how IndiGo manages passenger communication during emergencies.
Keeping travelers on board during unresolved technical issues without frequent and transparent updates only fuels fear and frustration. With aviation safety under scrutiny, airlines must act with urgency, clarity, and empathy to earn passengers’ trust.
Kalesh b/w Flight Crew Members and Passengers inside Flight over Indigo Flight stranded on Runway for Hours:
pic.twitter.com/6VE5rb7tRT— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) July 28, 2025
