Patna, July 9
The Delhi-bound IndiGo flight 6E 5009 was forced to turn back mid-air and return to Patna on Wednesday due to a bird strike, the airline's spokesperson informed.
The spokesperson said that the flight has been cancelled for the day to carry out proper maintenance of the aircraft, and the passengers have been offered a full refund or provided with alternative arrangements for their travels.
"IndiGo flight 6E 5009 operating from Patna to Delhi on 09 July 2025 turned back to Patna due to a bird strike. Due to the requirement of necessary inspection and maintenance of the aircraft, the flight has been cancelled for the day," the IndiGo spokesperson said.
The passengers were subsequently offered refreshments, a full refund on the flight or alternative arrangements for travel.
"We are doing our best to minimise inconvenience to our customers, including offering them refreshments, a full refund on cancellation and/or making alternate arrangements for their travel. The inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen situation is deeply regretted. Safety and security of our customers and crew remains our topmost priority," the spokesperson said.
On Tuesday, IndiGo flight 6E 7295, scheduled to travel from Indore (IDR) to Raipur (RPR) faced a mid-air technical issue, prompting it to land immediately.
The flight was scheduled to depart at 06:35 AM but took off slightly ahead of time at 06:28 AM, and was scheduled to arrive at 8:30 AM in Raipur. However, it was diverted to Indore, as per Flightradar24.
According to sources, 'IndiGo flight 6E 7295 from Indore to Raipur returned mid-air due to a technical snag shortly after take-off today. The pilot requested a priority landing back at Indore. All passengers safely disembarked. The flight was cancelled and passengers were given a full refund or alternate flight options.
All passengers were safely disembarked upon arrival. Passengers were given a full refund or alternate flight options after the flight was cancelled.
— ANI
Reader Comments
IndiGo handled this well by prioritizing safety and offering refunds/alternatives. But two incidents in two days is concerning. Maybe DGCA should audit their maintenance protocols? Safety can't be compromised for on-time performance.
Was supposed to be on this flight for an important meeting in Delhi! While I appreciate the safety measures, IndiGo should have better contingency plans. Had to book last minute tickets on another airline at triple the price 😤
The real issue is airport infrastructure in tier-2 cities like Patna. We need modern ATC systems and better runway maintenance to prevent such incidents. Hope the new airport project gets completed soon!
As a frequent flyer, I've noticed IndiGo's response to emergencies has improved. The refreshments and quick refunds show customer care. But they should invest more in predictive maintenance to avoid mid-air issues.
My cousin was on this flight! She said the crew handled the situation very professionally. Big salute to the pilots for the safe landing 👠Safety first always, even if it causes delays.
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