NEW DELHI: More than 150 passengers on an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Mangaluru had a scare on Thursday after the pilot aborted take-off following a technical snag while the aircraft was taxiing towards the runway.
According to FlightAware website, flight 6E 6456, operated by an A321 aircraft, was scheduled to depart at 5.30 pm. The passengers were finally sent by the airline in an alternative aircraft at 8.16 pm, nearly three hours after the scheduled departure. They were made to alight from their aircraft, taken to the terminal and sent to Mangaluru by another plane.
According to IndiGo, a technical snag was detected during taxiing. Following standard operating procedures and in the interest of safety, the pilots returned the aircraft to the bay and informed the relevant authorities. The airline said the affected aircraft would undergo necessary checks and maintenance before resuming operations. It also arranged an alternative aircraft for the passengers to complete their journey.
A passenger told an agency that the flight was initially delayed by around 20 minutes. The aircraft began taxiing after 5.50 pm but stopped after around 8-10 minutes. The pilot then informed passengers that the aircraft was returning to the bay due to a technical issue.