Ex AirAsia CFO accuses IndiGo staff of being ‘unbelievably arrogant’ after missed flight; airline responds

Flying can be stressful. And sometimes, even people who fly often get caught in situations that just do not make sense. That is exactly what former AirAsia India CFO Vijay Gopalan says happened to him at Tiruchirappalli airport, where he ended up missing his IndiGo flight.

How the confusion started

Gopalan shared his experience on Instagram. He said his IndiGo flight was scheduled to leave at 2:55 pm. He had already completed web check-in and arrived at the airport well on time.

While waiting, he kept checking the flight display boards. That is when he noticed the departure time changing again and again. First, it showed 3:10 pm. Then it changed to 3:15 pm. Later, it showed 3:25 pm. Looking at this, he felt the flight was clearly delayed.

Since there seemed to be time, he went to the lounge to work, while still keeping an eye on the updates. Around 3:05 pm, he got a call from airline staff asking why he had not reached the boarding gate.

Gopalan later said, “The board still did not show boarding and continued to indicate a delay,” which left him confused about how the flight could have already closed.

What he said about the staff

In videos posted online, Gopalan accused IndiGo’s ground staff of being “horribly rude and arrogant.” He claimed that the staff even suggested he stayed back in the lounge for “good food” instead of coming to board the flight.

Because he missed the flight, he also missed a professional conference in Chennai, which made the situation even worse.

He said that when he questioned the airline, a senior official told him, “Frequent flyers are expected to know that boarding gates close 25 minutes before departure, irrespective of what the display boards show.”

In the end, Gopalan and a colleague were put on another flight after paying a rescheduling fee.

What IndiGo said

IndiGo later shared a statement explaining its side. The airline said:

“Dear Mr Gopalan, Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. We truly understand how concerning it can be to miss a flight and the inconvenience this may have caused you. As checked, an interim issue impacted the Flight Information Display System, the management of which falls within the purview of the airport operator. Meanwhile, our team proceeded in accordance with the standard boarding protocol and made the requisite final boarding announcement.”

The airline added:

“However, we understand that you were unable to reach the gate on time, following which our airport team assisted you with an alternate flight to ensure you could continue your journey. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you aboard again for a smoother and more pleasant experience.”

Disclaimer: The incident and reactions mentioned in this article are based on social media posts shared by Vijay Gopalan and the official statement issued by IndiGo. The Times of India has not independently verified the claims made by either party.
Thumb image: Instagram