Indigo Airlines — Attraction in New Delhi

Horrible experience with Indigo Airlines.

This review shares the horrible customer experience, price gouging and utterly irresponsible operations of Indigo Airlines.

Flight number: 6E2356 from Jammu to Delhi (IXJ-DEL) on 29th May 2024.

I paid INR 14,868/- on 11th May 2024 through MakeMyTrip to book this less than one hour flight. The charges paid included 5 Kgs of additional weight on top of 15 Kgs free permissible allowance and Seat charges.

Having to pay this amount for a flight which would cost just 3-4 thousand Rupees a few years back is clearly a price gouging practice indulged in by Airlines operating in this sector. I have paid INR 18,000/- for return flights from Delhi to Singapore, yet this amount of fare, one-way, gives a very disturbing indication about the domestic airlines sector in India. Passengers get fleeced, Airlines and the government coffers fill and no action of relief is in sight.

Beyond the price gouging and monopolistic attitude of Indigo Airlines, the most disappointing part was their Check-in service and thereafter the flight management.

29-May-2024: At check-in, my weight of the checked bag came in @ 22.3 Kgs which was 2.3 Kgs above the purchased limit. The Check-in representative straightaway declared that I have to pay for extra weight. I had already paid for 5 Kgs and my carry on was hardly 4-5 Kgs. The representative, Gaganpreet was rude to proceed to bill me. I couldn't move any items from checked in baggage into carry on as the carry on bag was my camera bag. Instead of appreciating the pre-booked 5 Kgs paid for and my carry on bag being less than 7 Kgs, she proceeded to bill me another INR 1,100/- for 2.3 Kgs.

So, effectively Indigo charged me INR 16,000/- for this flight on top of rude behaviour from the check-in staff, Gaganpreet. I had a feeling that since I was the first customer in that line, she was in a hurry to get her quota filled.

I did ask her whether Indigo would compensate if the flight is delayed. Obviously, she had no answer other than just proceeding in a hurry to bill me INR 1,100.

Lo and behold! The flight was delayed from the scheduled departure of 1:15 PM. We were emplaned and kept waiting for more than one hour in the plane without any Airconditioning in hot blazing Sun @ 45 degrees before announcing that the plane was short of water in lavatory and drinking water. This is the first time I have encountered this ridiculous situation where the Operations and Ground Staff forgot to fill up the water tanks and stock the flight with drinking water.

There were many agitated passengers some of whom were at the risk of missing connecting flights in Delhi including my niece who was flying to Dubai from Delhi @ 5:15 PM.

The drama of mismanagement, gross incompetence on the part of Indigo Jammu Ground Staff and Operations team continued till 3:20 PM when the flight finally took off after the passengers were almost losing their cool in hot interiors of the aircraft.

So, can Messrs Indigo be polite enough to compensate me and the rest of passengers for the harrowing experience and the delay. Ms Gaganpreet from Indigo was more than eager to charge me INR 1,100/. Can I expect the same earnestness from Indigo to compensate me?

Jammu Ground Staff and Operations team are certainly irresponsible in this matter where they missed the basic task of filling up lavatory tanks and stocking up the drinking water. Indigo should replace the staff at Jammu station with responsible, efficient and customer oriented staff.

Can Indigo train their staff in customer service skills?

Indigo is fast becoming a price gouging monopoly. Can we expect the authorities to take note and step in to improve the...

I'm pleased to offer a comprehensive review of my entire experience, encompassing flight booking, amendments, and the flying journey itself. Here's a balanced account:

The flight booking process was generally smooth, although there were moments of fluctuating convenience fees and fare adjustments. One minor suggestion would be to streamline these aspects for a more consistent experience. Regarding excess luggage charges, the airline's fees can be on the higher side, but opting for online booking can yield savings of up to 20%, making it a sensible choice.

The boarding process for the flight was relatively informal yet efficient. The check-in staff displayed decent professionalism. However, upon boarding, I noticed a lack of warmth and enthusiasm from the cabin crew. Their demeanor appeared robotic, lacking the genuineness that a warm smile or welcoming attitude could bring. This observation is drawn from multiple journeys on the Jaipur to Delhi route. A friendly crew goes a long way in creating a positive flying experience, and the crew's behavior during service should ideally reflect this.

One aspect that could use improvement is the in-flight service. The cabin crew's approach towards serving passengers left much to be desired. Instances where water was offered lacked eye contact or any real engagement. This detachment could certainly be addressed for enhanced passenger satisfaction. On a brighter note, I must mention a particularly exceptional experience I witnessed on August 8th, 2023, during a flight from Jaipur to Delhi. A female cabin crew member ( probably from Manipur or Assam) exhibited remarkable care and assistance towards new parents seated next to me, without any prompting. This genuine concern was heartening to witness and added a positive touch to the journey.

Reliability is a strong point for this airline. The flights have consistently departed on schedule and managed to arrive either on time or earlier, which is indeed a pleasant surprise. If punctuality is a top priority for you and a short period of service lapses isn't a significant concern, this airline is worth considering.

One notable drawback is the temporary halt in air conditioning during the flight, ostensibly to conserve fuel. There have been instances when crew responsiveness has been lacking. An instance where I rang the bell without a response, yet the air conditioning was eventually switched on, highlights this inconsistency.

In summation, the airline shows promise for improvement. There are commendable aspects, such as timely departures and arrivals, and instances of genuine care exhibited by certain crew members. However, areas such as in-flight service, crew demeanor, and consistent responsiveness could all benefit from attention and enhancement. With the potential to improve, this airline has the opportunity to provide an even better flying experience...

Well something is seriously wrong with us because let alone the modern company policies , or the corporate culture that has infested this nation, we were known for our hospitality and service - Athiti Devo Bavaa ; and it hurts me in writing this down that unfortunately we are probably the worst in this sector now. I am an avid traveller both within India and abroad, and the one thing that I have noticed over a period of 1 decade is the deteriorating service of our private airline sector . Gone are the days when we used to feel enthusiastic about air travel especially if it was Modi luft, Jet airways or Kingfisher. There was an elated feeling of travelling by air because you knew that you would be treated so nicely and warmly ; but alas , we and certainly our future generations won’t get to see any of that if it’s not rectified. I am not going to mention any single airlines because they all have almost reduced to a level where one can easily say that this is not the India which welcomes its guests. Let me start with the check in process , we know times have changed and things have become expensive but courtesy still come for free . If you have excess baggage, certainly charge but if the excess is by 1/2 a kg or just one kg, I’m sure it can be adjusted as it used to be in the days when we values guests . The staff becomes rude as though they are letting you fly for free in their personal airlines if you just ask them to help you out with a small variation like a kilo or 1/2 a kilo. In the craft I remember the most beautiful smiles have been witnessed when the air hostess would come to serve. And here we are today, in an era where if you have not pre booked a meal , the air hostess will lecture you on the protocol and give you a death stare if you ask her for a cup of tea which you are going to pay for. Oh! Where is that India gone when one of the reasons to fly would be the wonderful food served on board from the prettiest ladies ; and mind you they were pretty only because of their smile as that is what would lift your spirits. Now I don’t want anyone to be confused with the thought that I am upset about the inflation or lack of certain services which were a part of the airline kitty , No the times have changed and we all understand why certain changes have been in effect. But please explain me with one good reason why should our behaviour, our basic etiquette, our hospitality change and be replaced with rudeness , lack of empathy...