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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'The Ba**ds of Bollywood’ mirrors my life, damages my reputation: Sameer Wankhede tells Delhi HC
New Delhi: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has submitted his reply to the Delhi High Court in the defamation case he filed against Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan. The case pertains to the recently released series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which Wankhede claims has defamed him.
In his statement to the court, Wankhede asserted that the show’s portrayal of a police officer is clearly based on him and has caused serious harm to his public image. He cited four key reasons supporting his claim.
First, he said the character in question bears physical similarities to him, including facial and body features. Second, he noted that the character’s working style and mannerisms closely resemble his own.
Third, Wankhede highlighted that the officer in the show is depicted making a high-profile arrest involving a major film personality, which he said directly mirrors his own involvement in the Aryan Khan drug case.
Fourth, he pointed out that the character frequently uses the phrase “Satyameva Jayate,” a motto he himself had used during media interactions in the course of that investigation. He argued that using the national motto in such a context cannot be dismissed as creative expression or humour.
Wankhede also referred to an interview in which Aryan Khan allegedly admitted that the show was “inspired by some real events.” This, he said, contradicts Red Chillies Entertainment’s claim that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is purely fictional.
He further alleged that the tone and intent of the series indicate personal and institutional vendetta, aimed at discrediting and defaming him rather than engaging in artistic storytelling.
Wankhede informed the court that the fallout from the show has affected his family, with his wife and sister receiving abusive and vulgar messages online.
Rejecting Red Chillies’ argument that he is a “thin-skinned” officer, Wankhede said that a public servant cannot be expected to tolerate false and damaging portrayals simply because of his position. He emphasized that his legal action seeks to protect the constitutional rights and dignity of both himself and his family.
