New Delhi: Singapore High Commissioner Simon Wong had to attend an employee’s wedding online after an IndiGo flight from New Delhi to Deoghar was abruptly cancelled. The airline’s massive operational disruption not only affected thousands of passengers but also forced an important guest like Wong to change his plans.
Disruption of Wong’s trip
Simon Wong was supposed to attend the wedding of a young employee stationed in Deoghar, Jharkhand. But due to flight cancellations from Indira Gandhi International Airport, he had to mark his attendance digitally. He shared his regrets on the social media platform X.
“I have joined the thousands of stranded IndiGo passengers. My flight to Deoghar has been cancelled. I apologize to my young employees who were looking forward to my arrival,” Wong wrote in the post, adding that he was at a loss for words, as the occasion was special for him as well.
Virtual greetings
Despite the flight cancellation, Simon Wong continued to make the ceremony special. He shared photos of himself dressed in traditional Indian attire and wrote an emotional message for the newlyweds.
He wrote in the post, “Distance may separate us, but the spirit of marriage unites us. Son, best wishes to you and your wife. May God fill your married life with happiness.”
Indigo crisis creates panic
IndiGo has been grappling with a severe operational crisis across the country for the past few days. The airline canceled over 1,000 flights in a single day on Friday, causing chaos at major airports like Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Passengers faced long queues, uncertain schedules, and significant inconvenience.
IndiGo attributed the crisis to several unforeseen operational challenges, including weather, changes to its winter schedule and some technical issues.
Effect of FDTL rules
Aviation experts say this situation is largely due to the implementation of Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations. These regulations were designed to reduce pilot fatigue and ensure their safety. Although they were notified in January 2024, they have not yet been fully implemented.
The DGCA said IndiGo’s misinterpretation of the new rules and inadequate planning led to the widespread disruption.
The situation is expected to return to normal in 10-15 days.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers issued a video message apologizing to passengers. He said the number of canceled flights on Saturday is expected to be less than 1,000, and operations are expected to return to normal between December 10 and 15. Elbers said December 5 was the most affected day. “I deeply regret the inconvenience caused to passengers,” he said.
