New Delhi: A viral video circulating widely on social media has spotlighted the rising frustrations of air travelers in India, showing a passenger aggressively arguing with IndiGo airline staff on December
22.
In the now viral video, a man dressed in a dark suit and tie leans intensely over the counter, gesturing animatedly and raising his voice at female employees. In the video, the man can be heard saying, “Yeh kya hai?!” and claiming, “Paise diye hain humne!” The female staffer is seen trying to calm him, saying, “Sir, please understand, there is a delay due to the weather.” In response, he angrily retorts, “Bohot tameez se baat kar raha hoon. Ladki ho isliye, warna jhoote utaar ke maarta.”
Many replies in the comment section criticised the passenger's behavior as entitled, while others defend the outburst, citing high ticket prices against inadequate service amid IndiGo's operational challenges.
Indigo Fiasco
This incident comes nearly three weeks after IndiGo, India's largest carrier with over 60% market share, faced a major crisis in early December 2025. The airline canceled thousands of flights peaking at around 1,600 on December 5 primarily due to crew shortages triggered by new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules mandating increased pilot rest periods. Additional factors included technical issues, seasonal scheduling, and winter fog.
The disruptions stranded thousands, leading to chaotic scenes at major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with reports of piled-up luggage, long queues, and passenger protests.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued show-cause notices, temporarily relaxed some rules, and ordered refunds and fare caps. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologised publicly, promising normalisation by mid-December.
