IndiGo flight faces technical glitch at Raipur airport, passengers including former CM, mayor stuck for 40 minutes

mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalRAIPUR: An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Raipur encountered a technical fault on Wednesday, causing panic and distress among passengers as they were unable to exit the aircraft for nearly 40 minutes after landing at Swami Vivekananda Airport. The door of the flight, which had safely touched down at Raipur Airport, couldn’t be opened due to technical malfunction, leaving the passengers trapped inside.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalThe flight landed on time at 2.25 pm but couldn’t disembark passengers due to malfunction. Among the passengers were prominent figures such as former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Congress MLA Chaturi Nand, and Raipur Mayor Meenal Chaubey, who were all aboard the flight.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalThe delayed door opening led to a moment of panic for some passengers, who grew anxious as the minutes passed, Meenal Choubey told TOI. She said that the cabin crew informed the passengers that the monitor had not received the command to open the door connected to the aero-bridge. Choubey said that though they could see the ground crew and everything outside normal, the passengers obviously panicked waiting for so long inside the aircraft due to the locked door.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalTOI tried contacting Raipur airport director and aviation secretary but they didn’t attend calls and were not available for comments.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalTOI spoke to the IndiGo spokesperson in New Delhi who said, “IndiGo flight 6E 6313, operating from Delhi to Raipur, experienced a delay in opening the aircraft door upon arrival on June 18, 2025, due to a minor technical issue. Following standard safety procedures, the door was opened after necessary checks were completed.”mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normal“We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding. At IndiGo, passenger safety and adherence to protocol remain our highest priorities,” the spokesperson said.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalCongress MLA Chaturi Nand, who was traveling with her husband, shared her experience of the incident. She explained that after the flight landed in Raipur, the door failed to open due to technical difficulties. Her husband, along with other passengers, became quite anxious during the delay.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; text-align:justify;line-height:normalShe also highlighted the heightened anxiety, stating that many passengers were on edge following the recent Air India incident in Ahmedabad. “People were a little scared, especially after the Ahmedabad accident, which added to the tension inside the flight,” said the MLA.