IndiGo Flight Fiasco: Bahrain bound Mangaluru passengers stranded in Mumbai, luggage left behind
Mangaluru: In a recent incident that took place on December 20, the passengers of an IndiGo flight from Mangaluru to Mumbai found themselves in a distressing situation as a sequence of events led to missed connections, disrupted schedules, and stranded luggage.
The two passengers, scheduled for a connecting flight to Bahrain, were left grappling with the consequences of the airline's apparent mismanagement.
The ordeal began when the passengers were set to board the IndiGo flight from Mangaluru to Mumbai at 4:50 pm on Wednesday, December 20. However, the flight arrived late at Mangaluru Airport, departing only at 7 pm, significantly behind schedule. The tardy departure from Mangaluru set off a chain reaction of troubles for the passengers, who were rushing to make their connecting flight to Bahrain from Mumbai.
Upon arriving in Mumbai at 8:40 pm, the Bahrain-bound passengers were directed to meet IndiGo ground staff who then informed the passengers informed that they could not board the Bahrain flight because their Mangaluru flight, operated by the same carrier, had arrived late, causing them to miss the connection.
Expressing the urgency of their situation, the two passengers explained that they were on their way to attend a crucial work meeting in Bahrain and could not afford to delay their trip. Despite their pleas, the IndiGo staff remained firm in their decision, suggesting the passengers take the next day's flight to Bahrain.
The passengers while speaking to Vartha Bharati shared their ordeal and asserted that the IndiGo staff were not regrettable at all and were speaking very casually as if it was not a big deal. They reportedly continued insisting that they cannot do anything about the situation and the customers had to deal with it.
They also accused the airline of not offering any assistance, food or accomodation to compensate for the delay and inconveniences it caused to their travel plans.
With their meeting looming and no possibility of delaying their travel plans, the two passengers opted for an alternative solution. They decided to book tickets on a Qatar Airways flight, each around costing Rs. 32,000, which was scheduled to depart at 4:10 am on Thursday.
When asked for a refund, the IndiGo supervisor only assured of a partial refund request that he would make to the airline which would be processed after a few days and not immediately.
The passengers' challenges did not end with the change of flights. Upon inquiring about their luggage, which they had boarded on the IndiGo flight from Mangaluru, they were informed that their luggage was left behind in Mangaluru and had not been shipped to Mumbai.
The situation escalated further when the passengers were repeatedly told to wait for an update on their luggage. At 1:00 am, several hours after their scheduled departure, the IndiGo staff confirmed that their luggage was indeed left in Mangaluru, leaving the passengers stranded in Mumbai without their belongings.
The staff initially assured the passengers that their luggage would be delivered to Jeddah, where one of the passengers was headed after Bahrain. However, upon reaching Jeddah, the airline informed the passenger that they would need to pick up their luggage at the airport, contradicting their earlier promise of delivery.
Adding to the confusion, the airline later informed the passenger that the luggage had actually reached Bahrain, not Jeddah, as their journey with IndiGo was originally scheduled for Bahrain. This inconsistency in information left the passenger questioning the airline's reliability.
This incident comes on the heels of other reported grievances against IndiGo, including a recent complaint by comedian and actor Kapil Sharma. Sharma publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the airline's services, vowing not to fly with them in the future.
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Rajnath, Shah, other Union ministers change social media profile photos to 'Op Sindoor' logo
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other top ministers on Thursday changed the display pictures on their social media profiles to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor following a call by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The prime minister, earlier in the day, shared a digital poster depicting the now widely recognised logo of Operation Sindoor and urged others to do the same as a mark of respect to the armed forces.
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, with Indian forces conducting precision strikes on multiple terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK).
After launching the military operation, the Indian Army, in a post on X, at 1:51 am on May 7 had said, "Justice is served. Jai Hind!"
On its first anniversary, the Indian military on Thursday said, Operation Sindoor -- "precise in action, eternal in memory" -- reflected the country's determination to defend its sovereignty with courage, coordination and strength.
The Army, the Navy, the Indian Air Force, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and the defence ministry also updated the display pictures on their social media profiles to mark the anniversary.
Defence Minister Singh, while updating his profile photo on X, said Operation Sindoor stands as a "powerful symbol" of national resolve and preparedness, and that their actions reflected unmatched precision, and set a "benchmark" for modern military operations.
"On the anniversary of Operation Sindoor, we salute the valour and sacrifices of our armed forces, whose courage and dedication continue to safeguard the nation. Their actions during the operation reflected unmatched precision, seamless jointness and deep synergy across services, setting a benchmark for modern military operations," he wrote.
"Operation Sindoor stands as a powerful symbol of national resolve and preparedness, showing that our armed forces are always ready to act decisively when it matters most. It also stands testament to India’s steady advance towards achieving #Atmanirbharta, enhancing capability while reinforcing resilience," he added.
The Ministry of External Affairs, led by its minister Jaishankar, also marked the anniversary, and reasserted and amplified India's diplomatic stand on this operation.
"A year ago, #OperationSindoor demonstrated the nation's resolve to defend itself against cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. With its decisive actions, India ensured accountability for terrorist actions. And underlined that such a serious threat to peace and security will be effectively countered. Under the leadership of PM @narendramodi, India stands strong and determined to convey a message of zero tolerance for terrorism," the EAM posted on X.
Earlier in a separate post, Jaishankar too changed his profile picture and posted an image of the Operation Sindoor logo on the timeline.
Home Minister Shah, in a post on X, said, "Operation Sindoor stands as an epochal mission of India that will always remind our enemies of the infallible striking power of our armed forces."
After Indian forces had launched the operation in the early hours of May 7, Pakistan later also launched offensives against India, and all subsequent counter-offensives by India were also carried out under Operation Sindoor.
The military conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, lasting nearly 88 hours, halted after they reached an understanding on the evening of May 10.
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi and Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil too updated their profile photos.
The Indian Army in an early morning post wrote, "#OperationSindoor India's resolute response calibrated and precise. Committed to safeguarding sovereignty and its people. #JusticeServed Jai Hind".
It also shared a video clip encapsulating the circumstances that led to the decisive military action in the early hours of May 7 last year, as well as some footage offering a glimpse to the military might of India.
"India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers," PM Modi had earlier said in his address, whose excerpt is part of the widely shared clip.
Recalling the military action launched on the intervening night of May 6-7, the Indian Air Force put out the anniversary post on X at 1:05 AM.
"Operation Sindoor Justice served. Precise in action, eternal in memory-Operation Sindoor continues. India forgets nothing-India forgives nothing. #operation #Sindoor #operationsindoor #IAF," the IAF posted.
The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) also posted the anniversary message at 1:05 AM, saying, "Symbol of national resolve #OpSindoor JAI HIND #OpSindoor #indianarmedforces #NationalSecurity".
The Indian embassies in the US, the UK, Spain, France, Germany and Italy also updated their display pictures on their social media profiles.
The embassies in France, Germany, Spain and Italy posted on X in French, German and Italian, amplifying the message of the Indian leadership on Operation Sindoor's anniversary in the respective countries.
The Indian Embassy in the UK posted on X, "One year of #OperationSindoor A tribute to India’s resolve, unity, and unwavering stand against terrorism. Saluting the courage and sacrifice of our armed forces who protect the nation with pride and honor. #OpSindoor #IndiaAgainstTerrorism #IndianArmedForces #NationalSecurity #IndiaFirst #SaluteOurForces #JaiHind #OperationSindoorContinues".
The Indian embassy in Israel also changed its profile photo on X and reposted PM Modi's post, and the X account of the embassy in Iran too changed the display picture to the logo of Operation Sindoor.
The Indian Navy in an early morning post on X said Operation Sindoor reflected India's determination to defend its sovereignty with courage and strength.
"Nation's Resolve. Forces United In moments that test a nation's will, the Indian Defence Forces stand united - resolute in purpose, precise in action and unwavering in commitment. #OperationSindoor reflects India's determination to defend its sovereignty with courage, coordination and strength. #OpSindoor #NationFirst #IndianNavy @HQ_IDS_India @adgpi @IAF_MCC," the Navy posted and changed its profile photo.
