An IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Varanasi encountered an unexpected hiccup on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, when it had to return to the aerobridge at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after discovering an overbooked passenger just before takeoff. The incident unfolded at approximately 7:50 am as flight 6E 6543 was preparing to leave. A crew member spotted a male passenger without a seat at the back of the plane, prompting the pilot to taxi back to the gate for resolution, according to a Hindustan Times report.
While airlines often overbook to minimize the risk of empty seats, this strategy backfired in this instance. After removing the excess passenger, the airline performed a comprehensive check of all cabin baggage, resulting in a takeoff delay of about an hour. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 reported that the aircraft eventually departed at 8:41 am.
An airline official said, “There was an error during the passenger boarding process of 6E 6543 from Mumbai to Varanasi, wherein a standby passenger was allotted a seat reserved for a confirmed passenger. The error was noticed prior to the departure of the aircraft, and the standby passenger was de-boarded. This led to a slight delay in the departure of the aircraft. IndiGo will take all measures to strengthen its operational processes and regrets the inconvenience caused to customers”.
In related news, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been enforcing penalties on airlines that deny boarding to passengers with valid tickets. According to the 2016 civil aviation regulations, no compensation is required if an alternate flight is provided within one hour of the original schedule. However, if the alternate arrangement is made within 24 hours, the airline must pay 200% of the one-way basic fare plus fuel charges, capped at ₹10,000.
