Fury boiled over on IndiGo flight 6E 1085 bound from Mumbai to Thailand's Krabi when the pilot flat-out refused to take off, citing exceeded duty hours
after a three-hour tarmac wait. Scheduled for a 4:05 a.m. departure Thursday, the plane sat grounded as passengers stewed, their vacation plans crumbling amid rising tempers. Flightradar24 data shows the delay pushed arrival from 10 a.m. to around 1 p.m. A viral video captured the meltdown: one man screamed at cornered crew, "Why the f*** is he hiding like a f***ing rat?" while others hollered about shattered itineraries. Reports revealed that travelers nearly turned on the pilot, who had warned IndiGo in advance but boarded folks anyway. The airline offloaded two for unruly behavior, handing them to security and stretching the ordeal further. Meanwhile, IndiGo's statement pinned initial holdups on late inbound aircraft, air traffic snarls, and crew time caps. Meals rolled out repeatedly to calm nerves. Passengers deplaned in waves of frustration after the exit door took a kick. This comes weeks after IndiGo's massive disruptions, spotlighting fatigue rules in India's crowded skies.
New:
-Pandemonium in @IndiGo6E flight from Mumbai to Krabi
-Passengers wanted to beat pilot
-Who is said to have refused to operate flight as he was breaching his duty time & had told airline in advance
-But flight was boarded & passengers were stuck inside for 3 hours
✈️ pic.twitter.com/vAYWjCBHov— Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) January 15, 2026
Passenger Rage Boils Over
Video footage showed a mob mentality gripping the cabin tight. One passenger cornered a crew member, voice cracking with rage over canceled beach days. Shouts echoed demands to confront the hidden pilot directly.
Fists clenched as talk turned to beating him up, per social media posts. The pilot had flagged duty breaches ahead, yet boarding proceeded unchecked. Three hours trapped fueled the powder keg. A bold kick rattled the exit door, drawing gasps across rows. Crew stayed composed amid profanities flying thick. IndiGo protocols kicked in swiftly for safety.
Airline Responds to Fallout
IndiGo spokesperson outlined a perfect storm of delays in their release. Late aircraft from prior routes threw off the rhythm first. Air traffic jams piled on, then duty clocks hit red. Two passengers crossed lines, earning unruly tags from staff. Security took them away, buying time but costing more hours. Meals and water eased some stomachs, not tempers.
Flightradar24 tracked the belated touchdown in Krabi past noon. IndiGo stressed commitment to safe flights above all else. Regrets flowed for the mess left behind.
Last month's nationwide chaos lingers in customer minds still. Pilot fatigue rules aim to prevent mid-air risks. Unions back the stand, calling it non-negotiable.
