IndiGo flight allegedly lands with minimal fuel reserves, sparks safety concerns

An IndiGo flight from Ayodhya to Delhi on April 13 reportedly faced a perilous situation, as a passenger claims it landed in Chandigarh with minimal fuel reserves sparking safety concerns and allegations of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) violations.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Satish Kumar who shared his experience on social media, Flight 6E2702 was scheduled to depart Ayodhya at 3:25 PM and land in Delhi at 4:30 PM. However, around 15 minutes before the scheduled landing time, the pilot announced that bad weather in Delhi would necessitate a diversion.

Despite two unsuccessful landing attempts in Delhi due to adverse weather conditions, the pilot purportedly delayed the decision to divert the flight. Kumar stated that the pilot initially informed passengers at 4:15 PM that the aircraft had 45 minutes of holding fuel. However, after prolonged deliberation, the decision to divert to Chandigarh was made at 5:30 PM, 75 minutes after the holding fuel announcement.

Kumar reported that panic ensued among passengers and crew members, with some individuals experiencing nausea. The flight eventually landed in Chandigarh at 6:10 PM where it was revealed according to the crew, that only 1-2 minutes of fuel remained at the time of landing.
Kumar raised questions on social media, tagging the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, regarding the adherence to SOPs and whether this incident constituted a narrow escape.

Retired pilot Shakti Lumba denounced the incident as a "gross safety violation" by IndiGo and urged the DGCA to conduct an investigation. He emphasized that after two failed landing attempts, diversion is mandatory, and the decision to continue holding instead of diverting could pose serious safety risks.

"IndiGo flight 6E 2702 operating between Ayodhya and Delhi on April 13th was diverted to Chandigarh due to bad weather in Delhi. The captain executed a go-around which is in line with the standard operating procedure. This is an absolutely safe maneuver. The aircraft had sufficient fuel at all times to divert to an alternate airport, as per regulations" stated IndiGo Spokesperson

While some social media users pointed out discrepancies in Flightradar data concerning the number of missed approaches, IndiGo has yet to issue a statement addressing the alleged incident.