IndiGo passenger slams airline after losing Rs 50,000 due to flight delay

A Sweden-based techie lost Rs 50,000 after an IndiGo flight delay caused him to miss his international connection. Despite a nearly three-hour layover, the delay led to rebooking costs and lost wages, sparking a debate about airline accountability.

A Sweden-based techie, Mohammad Alzafar Zia, recently shared his frustrating experience with IndiGo Airlines on LinkedIn after a domestic flight delay caused him to miss his international connection. Flight delays for passengers with tight layovers can have such consequences and this is one such example.

Zia's IndiGo flight from Ranchi to Delhi, scheduled to depart at 9:30 am and land by 11:20 am, was delayed by 1 hour and 50 minutes. As a result, he missed his Air India flight from Delhi to Copenhagen, which was due to depart at 2:10 pm. Despite having a layover window of nearly three hours, the delay proved costly, resulting in a loss of Rs 50,000, including rebooking costs, hotel accommodation, and a day's pay.

Zia tried reaching out to both IndiGo and Air India for assistance, but there was no response. When he approached airport staff at Delhi for help, he was met with indifference. The IndiGo site manager allegedly refused to acknowledge responsibility and provided a templated response that did not address his specific situation.

In his post, Zia expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the situation was handled and stated that he had lost trust in IndiGo. He also said about considering taking legal recourse if he does not receive compensation and added that his post was meant to raise awareness and push for accountability in such situations.

In response to the viral post, IndiGo apologized for the inconvenience and attributed the delay to air traffic congestion, a situation beyond their control.

"Sir, we appreciate you taking the time to speak with us. We regret the inconvenience you faced during your journey and understand how concerning travel disruptions can be. We'd like to inform you that the delay of the flight was due to air traffic congestion, a situation unfortunately beyond our control. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and assure you of our continued commitment to providing a comfortable and hassle-free travel experience for all our customers. We look forward to serving you again soon," the airline said.

owever, Zia's experience has sparked a debate about a passenger's right to compensation and airline's accountability when things go awry.