A Kolkata-bound IndiGo flight from here was delayed by over five hours on Monday due to the diversion of the incoming aircraft and then the operating crew's FDTL (flight duty time limitations) issue.
The flight 6E 5329, which was originally scheduled to take off at 8 am for Kolkata, finally departed for its destination at around 1.15 pm, the source said.
"IndiGo flight 6E 5329 operating from Mumbai to Kolkata on September 15 was delayed due to diversion of the incoming aircraft to Surat because of adverse weather conditions in Mumbai," an IndiGo spokesperson said in a statement.
As per standard operating procedures, a replacement crew was promptly arranged as the original crew set had reached their duty time limits, the airline said.
The spokesperson also said that the airline made all efforts to minimize the inconvenience to passengers by offering refreshments, sharing frequent information, and offering full refund to those who preferred to cancel their respective bookings.
"The flight was scheduled to take off at 8 am. But we were informed that it was delayed as the incoming aircraft, which was to operate the flight, was diverted to Surat due to bad weather in Mumbai," said the source who was on board the flight.
At around 10.30 am, all the passengers, some of them had connecting flights to onward destinations as well, boarded the aircraft, the source said.
"But the aircraft still did not depart as the pilot announced that the operating crew had crossed its flight duty time limitation and a new set of crew was being arranged. We remain seated in the aircraft for more than two-and-a-half hours," the source said.
Finally, at around 1.10 pm, the flight departed for its destination, after a delay of more than five hours, the source said.
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