A former AIIMS Delhi doctor on Sunday claimed that his recent IndiGo flight from Bangalore to Delhi turned into a distressing experience marked by neglect, poor service, and indifference from the cabin crew. In a detailed post recounting his ordeal, Dr Datta described the flight as a "nightmare."
“NEVER flying IndiGo again! My recent flight turned into a nightmare that I hope no one else has to experience,” Datta wrote, expressing frustration over what he described as a "pathetic downfall" in the airline’s service standards.
Dr. Datta, who has borderline high sugar levels, pre-booked a sandwich to ensure timely access to food during the flight, a routine he follows to manage his condition. However, after takeoff around 3:30 PM, his meal was not served as expected. When the crew reached his seat, they informed him that his pre-booked meal might be delayed due to an issue at Bangalore. Despite being patient initially, Dr. Datta grew concerned as time passed without any updates.
“After waiting for about half an hour, I politely asked if there was any problem. A crew member replied that another colleague would serve me. Despite this, I received no further update, and I was really starting to get pissed off as they very comfortably were just ignoring me!” he recounted.
A fellow passenger noticed his distress and offered her sandwich, which he appreciated but noted that he was super pissed off by then and switched on the emergency call light. No response!!! Then came the breaking point: the captain announced that we were already descending, yet there was still no word on my meal or response to the emergency light. Their complete indifference was infuriating and made me think: What if this neglect put someone in a medical emergency in real danger?"
"Finally, at around 5:40 PM, when the crew came near my seat, I mentioned I’m pre-diabetic and stressed the importance of having my meal on time! I at last received my meal: a sandwich and a cup of black coffee when I had asked for black tea (without sugar)," the doctor said, adding that by that time he was so hypoglycaemic that he did not even have the energy or strength to argue.
Dutta said that what really shocked him was that the calling light on his seat went unanswered for nearly 30 minutes. "With an empty seat beside me, I couldn’t help but wonder how the situation would have been handled if I were in true medical emergency!"
Adding to his frustration was the lack of an apology or any acknowledgment of the crew’s negligence. “Indigo’s crew displayed an appalling level of unprofessionalism and arrogance. No apologies. No explanation,” he fumed.
Dr. Datta claims to have recorded conversations with exact timestamps and plans to escalate the matter to the national consumer forum. “Passengers deserve better, especially when such gross neglect could cost someone their life in a real emergency,” he asserted, urging other travelers who’ve faced similar neglect to speak up.