Actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood has made a heartfelt appeal for passengers to remain calm and stop verbally attacking ground staff, following a wave of severe flight delays and cancellations by IndiGo that plunged major Indian airports into chaos. The disruptions, occurring over the past several days, have left thousands of travellers stranded, sparking viral confrontations and prompting regulatory intervention.
Sonu Sood's Plea for Compassion Amid Travel Turmoil
Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday morning, Sonu Sood shared a video message addressing the escalating tensions at airports. He expressed deep understanding for the immense frustration and pain experienced by passengers but strongly condemned the aggressive behaviour directed at airline employees.
Sood revealed that his own family was caught in the travel nightmare, enduring a wait of 4.5 to 5 hours before their flight eventually departed. He highlighted the broader impact, noting that many flights were cancelled outright, causing people to miss crucial events like weddings and important business meetings.
"But the saddest thing was seeing how people were shouting at the ground staff at the airports," Sood stated. He empathised with the public's anger but urged them to consider the position of the staff. "Imagine yourself in their shoes. Those who are helpless themselves don't know what the future schedules are, whether the flights will take off or not. And those who get messages from above can only pass them on to you," he explained.
He concluded his message with a call for responsible citizenship: "...As responsible citizens, it is very important for us to make sure that we do not react to them because they are helpless and they do not have any answers. Please try to stay calm. Control your anger and respect them."
Widespread Disruptions and Viral Outrage
The trigger for this crisis was a series of operational failures at IndiGo, one of India's largest carriers, leading to cascading delays and cancellations across its network. The situation resulted in:
- Thousands of travellers being stranded at multiple airports.
- Heated arguments and shouting matches between frustrated passengers and ground staff.
- Numerous videos of these confrontations circulating widely on social media platforms, amplifying public outrage.
The scenes of chaos highlighted a significant breakdown in communication and contingency planning, leaving passengers in the dark about their travel plans.
DGCA Steps In with High-Level Probe
In response to the escalating situation, the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), took decisive action. On Friday, it ordered the formation of a high-level, four-member committee. This committee's mandate is to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the circumstances that led to the widespread operational disruptions at IndiGo Airlines.
The probe aims to identify the root causes of the failure, which could range from technical issues and crew scheduling problems to broader systemic shortcomings. The DGCA's intervention underscores the seriousness of the incident and its impact on the flying public.
As the investigation begins, the industry and passengers alike await answers and assurances that such widespread travel chaos will not be repeated. Sonu Sood's appeal serves as a crucial reminder of the human element on both sides of the check-in counter during such stressful failures in essential services.
