A routine IndiGo flight from Chennai to Singapore turned into a prolonged and uncomfortable experience for more than 200 passengers after a series of technical and regulatory complications delayed departure by over four hours. Flight 6E 1025, originally scheduled to take off at 7.20 am on Tuesday, eventually departed at 11.39 am, leaving passengers confined inside the aircraft on the runway throughout the delay.
The disruption began when the aircraft’s air-conditioning system failed to function properly amid rising morning temperatures in Chennai. Engineers were called to inspect and resolve the issue, prompting the aircraft to return to the bay for technical checks. Although the malfunction was eventually fixed, the delay triggered additional operational complications.
According to sources, the cockpit crew informed the airline that continuing the flight would breach Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations, which strictly cap working hours for flight crew to ensure safety. As a result, IndiGo was required to arrange a replacement crew for the international sector. Locating and assigning a new team took time, and the delay extended further because visa formalities had to be completed for the newly designated crew members travelling to Singapore.
Passengers remained onboard during the entire process because the flight was an international departure and immigration procedures had already been completed. Deboarding travellers would have required repeating immigration clearance and security processing, potentially causing even longer delays. Consequently, passengers were asked to stay seated while the airline resolved the operational issues.
Videos shared online showed frustrated travellers questioning airline staff about the extended wait while the aircraft remained on the tarmac. IndiGo later confirmed that the delay resulted from a minor technical snag followed by crew duty-time limitations, which necessitated a crew change. The airline said refreshments were provided and updates were shared with passengers, while emphasising that safety considerations remained the primary priority.
The incident highlights how technical faults, aviation safety regulations and international travel procedures can combine to create significant delays, sometimes leaving passengers stranded onboard even before a flight departs.
