A frightening incident occurred on an international Indigo flight from Chennai to Singapore on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Approximately 200 passengers were stuck inside the aircraft for nearly five hours without air conditioning. The heat inside the cabin became unbearable, leading to a panic situation where passengers described the plane as a “gas chamber.” The Union Civil Aviation Ministry has now ordered an official inquiry into the matter to understand why passengers were not deboarded.
What went wrong on Flight 6E 1025?
The flight was scheduled to depart from Chennai at 7:20 AM, and boarding was completed on time. However, a technical malfunction caused the air conditioning system to stop working shortly after boarding. As the aircraft remained on the ground with doors closed, the temperature inside rose rapidly. Passengers, including 19 women, several infants, and elderly citizens, faced severe suffocation.
Videos circulating on social media showed passengers using magazines to fan themselves and screaming for help due to the heat. To make matters worse, the delay caused the pilot’s duty timings (FDTL) to expire, meaning the flight could not take off until a new crew arrived. The passengers were kept inside the aircraft throughout this ordeal until the flight finally departed around 11:40 AM.
Official investigation and airline statement
The Civil Aviation Ministry has taken a serious view of the incident and ordered a detailed investigation. Passengers alleged that keeping them inside a stationary plane for more than two hours violates DGCA norms, which state that passengers should be deboarded if a long delay is expected. The inquiry will focus on why the airline did not send passengers back to the terminal when the AC failed.
Indigo issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience caused to the passengers. The airline spokesperson attributed the delay to a technical glitch and subsequent crew duty time limitations. While the airline claimed that refreshments and updates were provided to the passengers, many on board denied receiving adequate care during the five-hour wait. The situation became so tense that CISF personnel had to be called to manage the angry passengers.
