Over 100 Passengers Stranded at Pune Airport as IndiGo Pilot Refuses Flight

Pune, 26th November 2025: More than 100 passengers scheduled to travel from Pune to Delhi on Tuesday faced a frustrating delay of nearly three hours after the pilot assigned to the IndiGo flight reportedly declined to operate the aircraft due to exceeding flight duty time limits.

The disruption occurred on IndiGo flight 6E 2285, which was originally set to depart Pune Airport at 8.40 am and arrive in Delhi by 11 am. It eventually took off at 11.40 am and landed at 1.32 pm, leaving passengers angry and confused.

“We were told at the very last minute that the captain was not flying,” said passenger Nitu Bapna, who posted her concern on X. “We were just left waiting with no clear reason. Such behaviour is unacceptable.”

Another passenger, who did not wish to be identified, shared their annoyance: “We reached the airport before sunrise. Only after check-in did we learn that the pilot’s duty hours were over. If that was known in advance, why didn’t the airline arrange a replacement earlier?”

A similar issue impacted IndiGo’s 6E 721 service to Amritsar. That flight was scheduled to depart at 2.55 am but only left around 6.45 am, landing more than three hours behind schedule.

An IndiGo official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described the delays as stemming from “operational reasons.” However, a source within the airline confirmed that the first incident arose when the pilot refused to take charge after exceeding permitted flying hours. The Amritsar-bound flight, too, was delayed due to congestion and the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) system coming into play.

From November 1, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) fully implemented stricter FDTL norms to prevent fatigue-induced risks in the cockpit — a safety reform supported globally by aviation regulators.
Passengers said they respect safety rules but called for better planning.

“We understand that pilots need proper rest — safety comes first,” another traveller noted. “But the airline must also know these limits and plan staffing in advance. Instead, we were left clueless for hours.”

Multiple passengers demanded more transparency and communication from the airline, stressing that the delays caused missed meetings, rescheduled plans, and significant inconvenience.

IndiGo is yet to issue an official statement addressing the back-to-back delays.