Around 400 IndiGo passengers, who were travelling to Mumbai and New Delhi from Turkey, were reportedly stranded at the Istanbul Airport for over 24 hours without any food and stay.
The flight 6E18 scheduled for departure on Wednesday night, December 11, was delayed and cancelled due to a technical difficulty.
In a statement, the airline apologised for the “inconvenience caused to the customers”.
“We are aware of the delays on the IndiGo flight connections to Istanbul. We accord the highest priority towards customer convenience and out teams are available at all contact points to assist customers. IndiGo apologises for the inconvenience caused to the customers,” the airline said.
The frustrated passengers have taken to social media platforms to share their ordeal.
Taking to X, Parshwa Mehta said that passengers were not provided with adequate accommodation, alternative flights, communication from IndiGo, or any reparations.
“This delay isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a blatant failure of basic customer service. Where is the accountability? Where is the empathy for the passengers stranded overnight at the airport?” he said.
Mehta also said no person from IndiGo was present at the gate to explain the chaotic situation, with passengers stranded in Istanbul and given insufficient lounge access.
One of the passenger Tarak Avignesh said, “We have a flight from Istanbul to Delhi operated by @IndiGo6E almost 500 people stranded in the airport, actual time is 20:10 but now they said due to some unforeseen reason it is delayed to next day afternoon 13:30 pm, such bullshit, is this the way you treat your passengers?”
Another passenger Anushri Bhansali said, “After months of saving to book a flight home to India, I’m now stranded in Istanbul, exhausted and sick, thanks to your delays and cancellations! Delayed twice by an hour, cancelled with no notice rescheduled 12 hrs later, no details or final confirmation!.”
Adwait Kulkarni requested the airline to provide at least some information to passengers on the flight.
“Don’t expect much from you @IndiGo6E but the least you can do is give one proper update to your passengers travelling in 6E 12 and 6E 18 flights on 12th December from Istanbul to Delhi / Mumbai and then stick to it. Not even asking for important stuff like food, accommodation,etc,” he wrote on X.
Another passenger Sara Filipcic said, “first time to India and stranded at the Istanbul Airport for the last 24 hours because the IndiGo flight keeps cancelling. No food. No clarity. No representative, No compensation, Pathetic treatment”.
Other passengers also expressed frustration with the airline for its poor handling of a situation, not explaining the situation or sending a representative at Istanbul Airport.
On Sunday, December 1, around 60 Indian passengers were stranded at Kuwait International Airport for more than 13 hours after their Gulf Air flight GF 005 from Mumbai to Manchester was diverted following an engine fire incident.
