Passengers across India have faced days of severe travel disruption as widespread flight delays and cancellations by budget carrier IndiGo left hundreds stranded at airports. The situation has escalated into chaotic scenes, with viral videos on social media showing furious travellers shouting at airline employees, highlighting a national crisis in air travel.
Celebrities Step In, Defend Frontline Staff
Amid the growing public outrage, prominent figures from the Indian entertainment industry have intervened, appealing for reason. Comedian and actor Vir Das took to X (formerly Twitter) to sharply criticise the airline's top brass. He suggested that the senior management, from CEOs to VPs, should take shifts at airports to face public anger instead of leaving junior employees to handle the crisis.
"The decent thing to do? The entire senior management of IndiGo should be made to take shifts at the airport... Instead of the terrified junior employees with no power, cabin crew and ground staff, who have been left to deal with the yelling and screaming," Vir Das wrote in his post.
Sonu Sood Appeals for Empathy Amidst Frustration
Actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood also joined the call for patience, posting a video message online. He acknowledged the deep frustration caused by missed weddings, meetings, and important events due to the delays, sharing that his own family had recently endured long waits.
However, Sood stressed that ground staff are often the last to receive updates and have minimal control over flight schedules. "What hurt me most was watching them being shouted at... They are helpless. They only communicate what they are told," he said, urging passengers to treat IndiGo staff with dignity and humility.
Mounting Pressure on Airline Management
The ongoing flight chaos, described as some of the worst in recent months, has triggered nationwide frustration. Passengers are demanding better communication and quicker solutions. Television actor Aly Goni echoed the sentiments, asking people not to blame staff for issues beyond their control.
With ground teams battling endless queues and anxious flyers, pressure is mounting on IndiGo's top management to take direct charge and address the situation with greater transparency. The government has also stepped in, ordering the airline to complete ticket refunds by a strict deadline.
The collective appeal from celebrities and fellow travellers is clear: while the travel disruptions are immensely distressing, venting anger on frontline employees only worsens the strain on a team already pushed to its limits.
