IndiGo Flight Declares ‘Fuel Mayday’, Makes Emergency Landing in Bengaluru

Bengaluru – An IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Chennai was forced to make an emergency landing at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on Thursday evening after pilots issued a rare “fuel mayday” due to air traffic delays over Chennai. The incident highlights growing concerns over congestion in India’s busiest air corridors.

Go-Around and Diversion After Failed Chennai Landing

Flight 6E-6764, an Airbus A321 carrying 168 passengers, departed Guwahati at 4:40 PM and was scheduled to land in Chennai by 7:45 PM. Upon approach, the pilots initiated a “go-around” — an aborted landing procedure — after the aircraft briefly touched down but could not complete the landing due to runway congestion.

After multiple holding patterns in Chennai airspace, the crew determined that fuel reserves had reached critical levels. Around 35 nautical miles from Bengaluru, the pilots declared a “Mayday” — the highest level of emergency and diverted to Kempegowda International Airport.

Swift Emergency Response in Bengaluru

Upon receiving the distress signal, Bengaluru ATC gave the aircraft immediate landing priority. Emergency crews were deployed to the runway as a precaution. The flight landed safely at 8:15 PM, with no injuries reported.

Passengers described the experience as tense and frightening. “There was panic among several people. You could feel the anxiety during those last few minutes,” said one traveler.

Pilots Grounded, DGCA Orders Probe

Both pilots have been temporarily de-rostered following standard protocol. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the incident, focusing on fuel planning, delay management, and communication procedures.

Air Traffic Management Under Scrutiny

The event has reignited concerns over air traffic congestion, especially around high-density airports like Chennai. Experts suggest that overburdened airspace and lack of real-time coordination may have contributed to the emergency diversion.

This incident comes just days after a tragic crash involving Air India’s Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London, which resulted in 241 fatalities. While unrelated in nature, both incidents have raised urgent questions about the robustness of India’s aviation systems.

Another IndiGo Flight Reports Snag

In a separate case the following day, an IndiGo flight from Chennai to Madurai carrying 68 passengers reported a technical fault mid-air. The aircraft returned to Chennai and landed safely, with no harm to passengers.