An IndiGo flight originating from Ayodhya and bound for Delhi on Saturday, April 13, experienced a critical situation when it had to divert to Chandigarh due to low fuel levels, prompting worries about safety. Both passengers and a retired piliot have raised concerns, suggesting that IndiGo mght have breached Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Satish Kumar, a passenger who recounted his “distressing ordeal” on social media, stated that flight 6E2702 was planned to leave Ayodhya at 3:25 PM and reach Delhi at 4:30 PM.
Had a harrowing experience yesterday with @IndiGo6E Flight No. 6E2702 from Ayodhya to Delhi. Scheduled departure time 3:25 p.m. and schedule arrival time 4:30 p.m.
Around 4:15 p.m. the pilot announced that there’s bad weather at @DelhiAirport. and assured that the plane has 45…— Satish Kumar (@CopSatish499) April 14, 2024
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Nevertheless, approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled landing, the pilot informed the passengers that adverse weather conditions in Delhi would hinder their landing there. Kumar recounted that the aircraft circled above the city and made two unsuccessful attempts to land.
As per Kumar’s account, at 4:15 PM, the pilot notified passengers that the aircraft had 45 minutes of holding fuel. Despite this, following two unsuccessful landing attempts and what Kumar characterized as “wasted time” deliberating on the next steps, it wasn’t until 5:30 PM, 75 minutes after the initial holding fuel announcement, that the pilot announced the decision to divert the flight to Chandigarh.
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Kumar mentioned that by that time, several passengers and one crew member began vomiting out of panic. The aircraft ultimately touched down at Chandigarh Airport at 6:10 PM, which was 115 minutes after the announcement regarding the 45-minute holding fuel. Kumar later learned that they had landed just in time, with only 1 or 2 minutes of fuel remaining, according to the crew.
Kumar tagged both the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation in his social media post, raising concerns about whether Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were adhered to and questioning whether the incident constituted a narrow escape.
Straight up your street @DGCAIndia after two missed approaches a diversion is mandatory: Still holding instead of diverting and then landing allegedly on fumes is a gross safety violation @IndiGo6E must investigate this flight and amount of fuel on arrival at Chandigarh: This… https://t.co/Z3GWvJL8fP
— Shakti Lumba (@CaptShaktiLumba) April 14, 2024
Retired pilot Shakti Lumba labeled the incident as a “serious safety breach” by IndiGo and urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct a thorough investigation.
Lumba stressed that after two unsuccessful landing attempts, it is obligatory to divert the aircraft. He condemned the decision to continue holding instead of diverting and then landing with allegedly minimal fuel, labeling it as a severe violation of safety standards. Lumba also suggested that if the reports are accurate, the Captain should not be considered fit for command.
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