'Schedule, ATRs are making a good airline a mess': Tamil Nadu minister blasts IndiGo delay
The minister detailed his experience on IndiGo flight 6E 7191, which was scheduled to depart Chennai at 9:10am but was delayed by more than two hours
- Jan 14, 2026,
- Updated Jan 14, 2026 2:27 PM IST
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Rajaa on Wednesday publicly criticised IndiGo over a delayed Chennai flight, accusing the airline of poor scheduling, lack of communication and treating passengers with disregard despite branding itself as a low-cost carrier.
In a detailed post on X, Rajaa detailed his experience on IndiGo flight 6E 7191, which was scheduled to depart Chennai at 9:10am but was delayed by more than two hours. "6E 7191 was supposed to leave Chennai at 9:10am. But that's just the scheduled time for the passengers who don't have any other choice," he wrote, accusing the airline of routinely delaying boarding.
He said passengers had reached the airport early on a "smoggy bhogi morning", only to be told the flight was delayed. "Many woke up at 6am or before on a smoggy morning to reach the airport at 8am only to find the flight has been delayed."
According to Rajaa, the estimated time of departure was then announced as 11am. Boarding began around 10am, briefly raising hopes among passengers. "Passengers were slightly relieved, but, not for long."
He said the early boarding only led to a long bus ride around the airport tarmac. "The early boarding was only to take a bus ride all around Chennai airport to the extremity of the runway and back to what we regulars call the graveyard bay."
Describing the bay, Rajaa added: "This is the bay that is usually allotted to the last ATRs of the day or in this case to the cheapest airline… in all its sense...in the nation. A low cost airline shouldn't mean cheap treatment of passengers!!!"
While praising the airline's frontline staff, Rajaa blamed IndiGo's headquarters and scheduling practices for the disruption. "I have always maintained IndiGo has some of the most hardworking crew and staff! But all that good will is going down the drain because of those at HQ who take care of scheduling etc!"
He said delays continued even after passengers boarded the bus. "It's the schedule and the ATRs that are making what is otherwise a good airline a terrible mess. We boarded the bus and then waited...and waited...and after about 20 mins of standing inside the bus since passengers from a connecting flight hadn't arrived."
The ride to the parking bay itself, he said, added to the delay. "The ride to the bay, on a good day, takes a good 20 mins… for some of us the ride was a good 30 mins."
Even after passengers boarded the aircraft, Rajaa said the ordeal was not over. "We boarded the flight at around 10:50 only to find out we had to wait for more passengers from other aircrafts." He alleged that IndiGo's operations were dependent on multiple connecting flights arriving on time. "Clearly IndiGo runs a service which depends on the arrival of several other aircrafts."
Referring to an earlier disruption involving the airline, he added: "One would think after the pathetic mess that IndiGo created a month ago they will take passenger comfort and time more seriously."
As the delay stretched on, Rajaa said passengers were visibly distressed. "It's 11:40 and almost one hour in the aircraft itself and the doors haven't closed. I can hear several people with appointments lamenting, an elderly person already writhing in his seat, a couple laughing at the efficiency of the Indian airlines sector."
He attributed the situation to lack of competition and regulatory apathy. "All because of monopoly. All because the Union just doesn't care about the airlines sector! All because the passenger is taken for granted."
The minister said IndiGo had blamed the Airports Authority of India and Chennai Airport for allotting the parking bay, and questioned that explanation. "IndiGo is blaming Chennai Airport, Airports Authority of India for the allotment of this bay! Is this true?"
He said he had personally raised the issue with airport authorities earlier. "I have personally requested Chennai Airport not to allot this bay as this is creating huge inconvenience to passengers and stressing out the crew! Yet this continues!!!"
Rajaa also criticised the lack of communication from the cockpit. "And your captain doesn't even announce the cause of the delay to the passengers IndiGo."
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Rajaa on Wednesday publicly criticised IndiGo over a delayed Chennai flight, accusing the airline of poor scheduling, lack of communication and treating passengers with disregard despite branding itself as a low-cost carrier.
In a detailed post on X, Rajaa detailed his experience on IndiGo flight 6E 7191, which was scheduled to depart Chennai at 9:10am but was delayed by more than two hours. "6E 7191 was supposed to leave Chennai at 9:10am. But that's just the scheduled time for the passengers who don't have any other choice," he wrote, accusing the airline of routinely delaying boarding.
He said passengers had reached the airport early on a "smoggy bhogi morning", only to be told the flight was delayed. "Many woke up at 6am or before on a smoggy morning to reach the airport at 8am only to find the flight has been delayed."
According to Rajaa, the estimated time of departure was then announced as 11am. Boarding began around 10am, briefly raising hopes among passengers. "Passengers were slightly relieved, but, not for long."
He said the early boarding only led to a long bus ride around the airport tarmac. "The early boarding was only to take a bus ride all around Chennai airport to the extremity of the runway and back to what we regulars call the graveyard bay."
Describing the bay, Rajaa added: "This is the bay that is usually allotted to the last ATRs of the day or in this case to the cheapest airline… in all its sense...in the nation. A low cost airline shouldn't mean cheap treatment of passengers!!!"
While praising the airline's frontline staff, Rajaa blamed IndiGo's headquarters and scheduling practices for the disruption. "I have always maintained IndiGo has some of the most hardworking crew and staff! But all that good will is going down the drain because of those at HQ who take care of scheduling etc!"
He said delays continued even after passengers boarded the bus. "It's the schedule and the ATRs that are making what is otherwise a good airline a terrible mess. We boarded the bus and then waited...and waited...and after about 20 mins of standing inside the bus since passengers from a connecting flight hadn't arrived."
The ride to the parking bay itself, he said, added to the delay. "The ride to the bay, on a good day, takes a good 20 mins… for some of us the ride was a good 30 mins."
Even after passengers boarded the aircraft, Rajaa said the ordeal was not over. "We boarded the flight at around 10:50 only to find out we had to wait for more passengers from other aircrafts." He alleged that IndiGo's operations were dependent on multiple connecting flights arriving on time. "Clearly IndiGo runs a service which depends on the arrival of several other aircrafts."
Referring to an earlier disruption involving the airline, he added: "One would think after the pathetic mess that IndiGo created a month ago they will take passenger comfort and time more seriously."
As the delay stretched on, Rajaa said passengers were visibly distressed. "It's 11:40 and almost one hour in the aircraft itself and the doors haven't closed. I can hear several people with appointments lamenting, an elderly person already writhing in his seat, a couple laughing at the efficiency of the Indian airlines sector."
He attributed the situation to lack of competition and regulatory apathy. "All because of monopoly. All because the Union just doesn't care about the airlines sector! All because the passenger is taken for granted."
The minister said IndiGo had blamed the Airports Authority of India and Chennai Airport for allotting the parking bay, and questioned that explanation. "IndiGo is blaming Chennai Airport, Airports Authority of India for the allotment of this bay! Is this true?"
He said he had personally raised the issue with airport authorities earlier. "I have personally requested Chennai Airport not to allot this bay as this is creating huge inconvenience to passengers and stressing out the crew! Yet this continues!!!"
Rajaa also criticised the lack of communication from the cockpit. "And your captain doesn't even announce the cause of the delay to the passengers IndiGo."